


Hale The Princess

by lowlifetheory



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Budding Relationship, Confusion, Daddy!Derek, M/M, Misunderstanding, Original Character(s), Pack Fic, pre slash
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-06-17
Updated: 2012-12-29
Packaged: 2017-11-07 23:25:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 31,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/436597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lowlifetheory/pseuds/lowlifetheory
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek's been acting strange, stranger than normal, but when he buys a pink gameboy Stiles starts to get really worried, and then everything falls into place.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It’s the yellow truck that says Hale Construction in big black letters along the side that gets Stiles’s attention. It’s early in the morning, shortly after seven am, but Stiles pulled an all-nighter because he couldn’t sleep after sleeping until four pm the previous day and did you know that the absolute best time of the day to do grocery shopping is six in the morning, hence seeing the truck at seven with an armload of shopping. Stiles stows it in his jeep and because he’s Stiles, and has never had the best impulse control, he turns left instead of right, following the truck through the quiet streets. He loves the summer, being free from the constraints of school, when he’s allowed to be at his most basic instincts, be himself. So he turns up the radio and sings along to Call Me Maybe with the windows down not caring that everyone can hear him. Well, they would, if there was anyone around to hear him. 

He follows the lorry through town to the edge of the forest and turns up the mile long driveway that takes him to where Derek spends most of his time creeping about. With no television or Wi-Fi Stiles takes a moment to wonder how Derek entertains himself. Surely there’s only so many times a guy can see the intimate mating and breeding cycles of Squirrels before he wants to gouge his eyes out. 

Stiles hasn’t been out here in a while. Scott told him that Derek had made a few structural changes but Stiles figured he meant Derek used a post to prop up a leaning wall or something. He didn’t expect the house to be completely torn down and a new wooden frame rising in the air. Even the foundations look new. It’s like something out of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, because Stiles was here two or three weeks ago and the house was still there falling apart. He expects to see a bus sitting somewhere with Derek glaring at it while the rest of the pack jump around screaming ‘move that bus’. Huh, Erica and Lydia are beside each other and their boob’s are-

Not going there, not at seven fifteen in the morning while Derek Hale stalks towards the truck with his morning face on. It looks surprisingly like his “I’m going to murder bunny rabbits and hang their carcasses around my decaying house to frighten teenagers away” face, except he doesn’t have a decaying house anymore; he has wooden frames and when was the last time Stiles took his Adderall. He checks his watch, he was sure it was dark, but was it last night or two nights ago?

‘Stiles!’ Derek barks. Stiles all but falls out of his jeep. ‘Can I help you with something?’ His shirt is dirty like he’s already been working for hours, and he’s peeling thick work gloves off his hands and tucking them into the back pocket of his jeans. The gloves surprise Stiles, he pictures Derek as one of these all American heroes who don’t need gloves or bullet proof vests to protect them. ‘Stiles!’

Stiles is at a loss for words. Derek’s glare intensifies. Or stays the same. Whatever. ‘I brought you breakfast.’ Stiles lies. Derek raises an eyebrow but something occurs to Stiles and moments later he’s pressing a box of strawberry pop tarts into Derek’s chest and watching the workers scurrying around the house like ants. Derek is totally the queen, except he’s the king. Or the Alpha. Same difference. 

‘I don’t have a toaster.’ Derek says but he’s ripping the box open and eying his prey. Stiles would protest at his loss of food because Derek was supposed to refuse the free food, but Derek’s understanding of polite declines seem to be non-existent and he’s eating it uncooked and hey, it’s not the first time Stiles has forgotten to toast his own on his way to school so he can’t really complain. ‘What else have you got?’ Derek asks and wanders to where the back door of Stiles’s jeep is open. He plunders Stiles’s shopping, taking a large bottle of spring water, a few pieces of fruit and a can of tomato soup. He makes a noise in his throat when he finds the pork chops and adds them to his haul. ‘You can go now.’

‘Do you have a microwave?’ Stiles asks as he looks around the ground as if one will suddenly appear. He wouldn’t be surprised to find Derek has hollowed out a tree somewhere that he likes to hide his precious things in.

‘No.’ Derek says. He’s already bored with the conversation, fishing another pop tart out of the box and looking towards where a bunch of guys are milling around the house. 

‘How will you make your soup?’ Stiles wonders. Tomato soup, unlike pop tarts, is not nice cold. Stiles should know, it’s actually disgusting. 

‘I’ll eat it cold.’ Derek says with a shrug. Stiles shudders. 

‘How will you get into the can?’ Stiles can’t help but add, clearly his in his ‘let’s piss Derek off until he breaks’ mood. Derek growls and Stiles wonders if he’s pushing his luck, if Stiles’s blood will mare the timbre frame of Derek’s new home.

‘I’ll rip it open. With my teeth.’ Derek’s eyes flash red for just a moment, and Stiles takes a step back.

‘Oh. The pork-’

‘Raw.’ Derek says. Stiles shudders again and gets the message, climbing into his jeep. He’s left his collage essay half-finished on his laptop and he really thinks he should remove the part about werewolf maintenance being character building for him. Especially as his dad has offered to read it for him and he himself knows the inclusion of werewolves isn’t the best idea. Nope, not at all.

‘Well I’ll just…’ He walks backwards, trips over something and falls into the still open back door of his jeep, which closes and brings his ass closer to the ground. He does a nifty spin and stands up straight. ‘Meant to do that.’ He says, climbing into the jeep and stalling it as he tries to back away from where Derek is watching him, now chewing on a pear. 

Stiles gets home puts most of the groceries away, at least the perishables, perishables, who ever came up with the word perishables, and trips upstairs. His dad has already left for work but there’s a green sticky in the shape of a shamrock on the side of his laptop. 

Son, we’ve talked about this werewolf business, folks won’t believe you, but that’s some pretty good writing. Also, where the hell are you?

Stiles scoffs, if his dad was really worried he would have called. As it is he’s glad he cleared his browser history at four this morning after a porn marathon. He deletes the bit about werewolves, and gets ready to do some work when – he wakes with a pain in his neck and Scott standing behind him looking down at him. Stiles jumps, bangs his knee off the underside of his desk and half falls off the chair. 

‘Dude. You’re creepier than Derek.’ Stiles whines righting his chair and rubbing his knee. His necks pretty sore now too. What he wouldn’t give for someone to force the kinks out with big strong…huh, when did big strong hands replace the tiny delicate ones?

‘That’s why I’m here. He said you called by this morning.’ Scott says sitting on the corner of Stiles’s unmade bed. 

‘Yeah he was hungry. I could hear his tummy rumble from across town.’ Stiles says with a frown, fixing his papers into order, and then moving them to the floor. With his other papers. On something, very important something’s. Like how to perform a lobotomy and a ten thousand word essay on the difference between Emo and Goth.

‘He stole my dinner.’ Stiles remembers, thinking of how he was going to make mashed potatoes. He loves mashed potatoes and butter and…dream city.

‘Hey they were nice. Don’t get them spicy next time.’ Scott says licking his lips. Stiles narrows his eyes. Scott is the worst best friend ever, because he’s been eating Stiles’s stolen food. Raw. 

‘Ugh.’ Stiles says as his dreams of food turning to mush. ‘You two.’

‘They were great. Derek’s really good with a barbeque.’ Scott grins, flopping back onto Stiles’s bed and tossing a ball in the air.

‘That bastard! I’ll give him a piece of my mind. In letter form. Anonymously. You know with the gloves and the cutting up of newspaper to form words. And I’ll post it from elsewhere. Like…Cincinnati or something.’ Stiles says. He’s already planning the driving route in his head and thinking about tweezers and adhesive and old newspapers.

‘Have you taken your meds yet?’ Scott pulls himself back to a sitting position. 

‘Now that! That is the million dollar question!’ Stiles crows, sticking a finger into Scott’s chest. ‘I can’t remember when I last took them.’ He admits. ‘Think I’ll go for a shower.’

‘I come over to hang out and you go for a shower.’ Scott asks incredulous. He’s got his arms wide like Stiles will suddenly decide a ridiculous pose will make him not take a shower.

‘Hell yeah. I smell.’ Stiles says. ‘Uh, why aren’t you trying to mount Allison at the minute anyway?’ He expects Scott to go off on one about disrespecting Allison, or just dream about Allison but instead he finds words.

‘She’s shopping with Lydia and Erica, and besides Derek sent me over to tell you that next time you’re going grocery shopping to get a list because he didn’t need a lot of the things you got him today.’ Scott says reaching for one of Stiles’s comic books. 

‘Seriously?’ Stiles asks. Scott just nods and focuses on the pictures. 

‘And shower. You stink.’ Scott says. 

‘I’m calling Deaton, you need your hours increased!’ Stiles snipes as he heads to the bathroom.

Stiles avoids Derek’s place and for the most part that ok. He’s not pack; he’s the idiot that follows the rest of the pack around. He’s the only human besides Allison, what with Jackson going ape on Danny one night and Derek saving his life, and Boyd, Erica and Isaac getting blood all over their hips a la Derek, not to mention Lydia’s Peter Hale brush. Lydia’s story is an endearing one. She found a way of coping with her PTSD that no therapist would ever condone. She’s made various Peter dolls, and sticks pins in them until Stiles can feel the pain, especially around the crotch area. And then there’s the tearing through the woods part. Even Derek keeps out of her way. And Jackson’s a werewolf because of course that douche always gets what he wants. And Allison’s sleeping with Scott which leaves Stiles, the hanger on who sometimes gets involved but never directly. 

‘I don’t like you.’ Derek says. Stiles is standing in the DVD section of Wal-Mart trying to choose between Underworld and Cars. 

‘I don’t like you.’ Stiles returns. Derek glares as if daring Stiles to look at what’s in Derek’s shopping cart, so naturally Stiles looks because, yeah, even to himself he’ll admit he’s an idiot. He’s shocked to see The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Pocahontas lying in there. He raises an eyebrow. At least he tries to. He’s not sure if he’s doing it right so he reaches up to hold one and move the other. Then he remembers Derek’s staring at him. Feeling manly he returns Cars to the shelf. 

‘Vampires aren’t real.’ Derek says, snatching Cars from the shelf and tossing it into his cart. Stiles wonders where Derek gets his money from and then remembers Hale Construction in big bold letters on the side of the yellow dump truck. That leads to wondering how much the company is worth and suddenly Stiles is planning his evening of research out. 

‘Neither are werewolves.’ Stiles returns, tossing the box for a pink Nintendo DS into Derek’s cart. Derek growls and picks the box up. He frowns as he reads it. 

‘What is this?’ He grumbles like the tiny games console is a personal affront to him.

‘You can play games on it.’ Stiles explains slowly, as if to a child. Or something from the sixteenth century. He shows Derek the colourful game cases. Derek looks at the kids educational ones. Eventually he selects three games and returns the box to the cart. Clearly he’s buying it.

‘There are other colours.’ Stiles points out. He can’t picture Derek playing on it, but maybe Derek has a pink fetish.

‘Go away. You’re annoying me.’ Derek says. Stiles obeys because Derek looks…pensive and Stiles has plans…big plans. 

So Derek’s a big girl who likes pink and Disney movies. Who knew? He leaves Underworld on top of a pile of orange towels advertised at half price. He’s seen it anyway. 

He gets home and powers his laptop up. He prepares his research snack pack, after a moment’s thought substitutes water for energy drinks, and after another moment puts them back and grabs soda, and hauls it all to his room. Hale Construction has a website, and details of the services it offers. Stiles reads the company’s mission statement and it clearly wasn’t written by Derek because there is no violence what so ever. He heads to financial websites next and soon reads the last several annual turnovers. It’s a large company with several shareholders, the largest being Derek Hale, with sixty six per cent of the value. Stiles studies the turnovers, and wow, ok compared to similar companies Hale Construction is doing very well. Perhaps they have special services for a particular type of client, the kind that has a furry little problem once a month. He decides he’s pried enough by five am and clears his browser history, as is his habit, strips and crawls into bed.

He’s asleep when Derek lands on the floor of his room. Stiles wakes with a start, staring at Derek like he’s a monster. Huh, guess he is. ‘Dude it’s the middle of the night.’ He mutters rolling over and burying his face in his pillow.

‘Its nine am.’ Derek responds. ‘Who provides your Wi Fi?’ 

‘My dad…’ Stiles says sitting up and staring at Derek like he’s grown an extra head. Derek growls and Stiles squeaks. He climbs out of bed and stumbles downstairs, and after several minutes of rummaging in his father’s intricate filing system (which is basically throw all paid bills into a cardboard box in the study), finds a telephone bill with all the information he hopes Derek needs and presents it to Derek. Derek taps the telephone number into his phone, before slipping it in his pocket and opening the front door without a word and leaving. ‘I feel so used.’ Stiles shudders and goes back to bed.


	2. Chapter 2

It was an accident, really it was, Stiles thinks as he stands beside his dad looking at the bed, broken in the middle. He’d already investigated underneath, using various text books and boxes to try to prop it up but the wood had snapped in two. Completely. ‘And you’re sure you didn’t have a girl in here?’ The sheriff asks.

‘Dad!’ Stiles whines as he palms his face. 

‘A boy?’ He tries. Stiles drags his t-shirt half over his head, hiding from the cruel man beside him. 

‘I was jumping on my bed.’ Stiles says into the material of his shirt. 

‘Son you’re almost eighteen.’ His dad sounds constipated. Stiles struggles to get his head out of the shirt. He looks it too.

‘I know. I just…got excited.’ Stiles mutters. ‘You know…Avengers…’

‘You should have taken the sex route. I wouldn’t be so worried for your mental health right about now.’ His dad says rubbing his face with his hand. ‘Well, let’s go buy you a bed.’

‘How’s the Stiles Damage Fund sitting anyway?’ Stiles asks grabbing his favourite blue hoodie and following him downstairs.

‘Good. We’re under budget so far this year.’ His dad says grabbing a light jacket.

‘Oh that is pretty good, you know for July.’ Stiles says following his dad to the jeep. 

‘That’s what I thought.’ His dad says letting Stiles drive. ‘Hey afterwards we could go grab something to eat and see if Avengers is still showing. I still haven’t seen it.’

‘That sounds like the best plan all day!’ Stiles grins taking a left when his dad instructs him too. He ignores the fact that he cornered to fast and so does his dad; he must be in a good mood. He feels a prick of guilt; they don’t spend that much time together anymore, so today is going to be the best day of the summer, Stiles can feel it in his bones. They arrive at the furniture store early, a massive warehouse building that has mock-up of rooms around the outside and various pieces of furniture in the middle. The place is massive and has everything anyone could ever need for a home.

This is how Stiles finds Derek choosing bedroom furniture. It’s pretty surreal actually. Stiles had got distracted by the shiny kitchen utensils and rather than stop him the sheriff had tried out new armchairs. When Stiles did make his way to the bed area he found Derek standing in a mock room with a female sales assistant simpering over him. Derek was too busy glaring at the bedside lamp to notice her.

‘And you’re single Mr Hale.’ She asks pushing her arms into her sides which squished her boobs out of her blouse.

‘What does that have to do with my purchase?’ Derek snaps at her. Ah Derek, ever the opportunist for getting sex. ‘Stiles!’ He barks. Stiles is at his side in a moment. He takes a brief moment to appreciate the sales assistant’s breasts and another for werewolf senses. There was no way Derek would know Stiles would turn up here but Derek being the Alpha control freak that he was had naturally pinged onto Stiles’s presence and anchored it to himself.

‘You called my liege.’ Stiles grins. He decides to play with the sales assistant, leaning close to Derek, breathing in his scent. Derek gives him a look but Stiles ignores it. 

‘What do you think of this?’ He asks waving his arm. Stiles licks his lips and looks around the mock up. 

‘Not too fond of those curtains. Big bed.’ Stiles wiggles his eyebrows. The sales assistant frowns.

‘Enough for at least three.’ Derek muses aloud. Blondie’s eyes widen comically and Stiles tries not to smirk at her. Of course Derek’s a kinky bastard. Sex with Derek would be amazing and where the hell did that thought come from? Derek looks him up and down for a second before turning to the sales assistant. ‘You tell me this is the largest bed you have?’

‘Ah…yes.’ She says suddenly looking uncomfortable.

‘Can I get larger, custom made?’ He asks. She opens her mouth and closes it and for once Stiles isn’t the one acting a fish. 

‘I…yes I’m sure that we can…’ She says. Derek’s nodding and peering at the carpet now, then the bed again. Stiles is trying to picture Derek sleeping under the cream embroidered duvet they’re using in the room display but he just can’t. Perhaps earthy green…who the hell is Stiles kidding; Derek’s bedroom will be black, black and black. Stiles tries picturing Derek sleeping in the black sheets and yes, that suits better, but he’s not supposed to be with Derek…oh hell Stiles thought he had his crush under control but lately…

‘Good.’ Derek says. Someone touches Stiles on the arm and Derek turns to glare for a second. The young man is clearly gay, his eyes dragging over Derek as he speaks to Stiles.

‘I believe that belongs to you.’ He says nodding towards where the sheriff has a lazy boy out flat and is snoring. Loudly. Stiles rolls his eyes and Derek snorts amused. 

‘Take me to that princess room again.’ Derek says to the sales assistant.

‘You know if you keep telling Lydia she’s a princess she’ll start to believe it. Then Erica will fight with her.’ Stiles says loudly as he makes his way towards his snoring father. Derek, as usual, ignores him. Two sales assistants are now following Derek around the store and Stiles thinks that for once it has nothing to do with wanting the commission.

Its three weeks after the bed incident, or as Stiles likes to think of ‘snoring gate’ where his dad threatened everyone in the store with parking tickets if they mentioned it, including Stiles, that he ends up at Derek’s house. He spies Erica coming out of the pharmacy and her top is really low and Stiles can’t help but swerve so he covers it up by inviting her in for a ride. Turns out, she’s going to Derek’s. The house is complete and wow, that took next to no time, and Derek’s on the front lawn (Derek has a lawn) building a swing set. Stiles parks, or stops his jeep, whatever, and stares. Erica laughs. ‘He’s getting ready for a family we think.’ She says.

‘Who with?’ Stiles asks. Her cryptic smile shouldn’t make Stiles jealous, shouldn’t make him want to cover her boobs up, or take her back to town away from Derek but it does. She gets out and struts her way to Derek’s side, leaning in to kiss his cheek. He flashes her a brief smile before going back to attaching the swing seat to the fancy ropes it came with. Stiles follows her, wondering when in hell he’s ever wanted to cover boobs and stares at the swing. Its natural pine wood, with two swing seats and one of the two seat swinger things that Stiles and Scott used to fight on. Hell just before Scott got bit there was the incident with the vodka and the swinging with no hands that ended up in a hospital trip for both of them and a months’ worth of grounding.

‘Did you bring food?’ Derek calls and Stiles remembers the library books he was meaning to return, lying lonely in the backseat. 

‘No.’ Stiles says joining them on the lawn. Erica sits on the grass and stretches her legs out, baring herself to the sun the hussy. ‘Can I help?’

Derek stares at him for a moment. Then frowns and turns away. ‘Looks like a no to me.’ Erica says. Stiles glares. He used to like her, he used to have Erica fantasies, but ever since snoring gate he’s had Derek and his big bed fantasies. And dresser fantasies, because Derek pressing Stiles over a dresser is all kinds of hot. And damn it Stiles needs to get a lid on this now.

‘I can get you a list.’ Derek says as he starts on the second seat. The wood is painted pink with little white clouds on it.

‘For what?’ Stiles wonders. Derek stretches to do something to the top of the swing and Derek’s shirt is riding up. Stiles can see belly flesh and a happy trail and he needs to get out of there yesterday. He looks at Erica but she’s got her eyes closed and her iPod on and he’s all alone here just waiting for something to save him. 

‘My groceries.’ Derek says as if Stiles is thick. Maybe he is. He certainly feels thick at the moment.

‘No its ok. I’ll…ah…I have to go date the library.’ He says stepping backwards, tumbling over only his words thankfully. He gets into the jeep and drives, perhaps a little faster than he should to get away. He goes home, into his room and onto his bed. Thinking about Derek and Erica and how their stupid names rhyme and how stupidly hot they look and how stupid he is and stupid. Just stupid. 

He only finds out, a few days later, that Derek’s out of town through Allison. Apparently Stiles is the best boy out of the group to take to the mall. Apart from Danny, who was busy with some guy with a weird name? Something like Drill or Dane or Dart or something. Stiles complains but the girls know he’s easily appeased by food and happily goes into any section of a girl’s clothes store, unlike Scott who freaks and Jackson who refuses. ‘Oh no.’ Allison pouts. ‘Erica can’t come.’ She says, her fingers flying over the keys on her phone.

‘Why not?’ Stiles asks, thankful she won’t be there. 

‘She’s doing something with her mom that she can’t get out of.’ Allison says with a downturn of her lips. 

‘Sure she’s not fibbing and getting a load of Alpha attention from Derek?’ Stiles asks in what he hopes in his nonchalant manner. 

‘No, moron, Derek’s in New York. He left the day before yesterday.’ Lydia snaps at him, and Stiles wonders at the hostility, does Lydia want some Alpha attention too? 

‘Oh.’ Stiles says, happy they’re not together. Really he’ll have to get over his man crush. He should focus more on Danny, now that boy is a crush. And obtainable, you know, with the whole gay thing.

‘Now, green or blue?’ Lydia asks Allison holding up two pairs of panties. Stiles is too distracted to notice what’s going on, his mind is a million miles away. 

‘Blue.’ Stiles says without looking. Lydia frowns at him and they take him for food after that, worried that he’s lacking in something. It doesn’t take Stiles long to come around with a straw in his mouth and soda to blow bubbles in. 

‘Honestly.’ Lydia snaps at him, but she still buys another coke when he spills half of his first one.

Its Scott’s fault. And Jackson’s. If they could control themselves then Stiles wouldn’t be in this mess right now. As it is Scott’s sitting in the front with a pile of food, and Jackson’s in the back with a pile of food and if Stiles isn’t pack then how the hell did he get invited to a pack barbeque, but no Stiles has to go and have Derek in his face all day just because Jackson and Scott now refuse to go into the supermarket where the fresh meat counter is. 

Jackson opens the door like he owns the place and makes himself at home, kicking his shoes off and calling out for Derek. They go through the house, which is really nice, Stiles has to admit (it looks like Derek’s just lifted sections of the home furniture store and planted them into his own home) and out the back to where Derek’s barefoot on the grass with a little girl in his arms. 

‘Oh my god you stole a child.’ Stiles says, eying the little girl with dark hair and green eyes. She’s wearing a pink dress and has white sandals on, and her hair is in adorable little braids. And oh my god it’s all falling into place. It’s starting to fit neatly together. Stiles can almost hear the pieces as they slot into his head, telling him that Derek has a daughter, this is his little girl, his princess. And he smiles, he actually smiles at the little girl and she kisses the tip of his nose. 

‘Now why don’t you show the boys your teeth?’ He asks standing up, all proud Alpha Daddy and approaching them. She’s a stark contrast to his dark jeans and grey vest, and she’s so trusting with a little hand wrapped around the back of his neck. Derek’s arm is under her thighs, holding her on his hip. She grins and lets her little werewolf fangs pop out and Stiles stares at her for a second before making fake screams and hiding his face in his arms from her. He hears her laughing, and Derek’s smiling indulgently and she pipes up with an ‘I like that one daddy.’ Like they’re at the human shop, choosing a pet for the werewolves and he’s the one. 

She smiles, and it’s so goddamn cute, and Derek’s smile is so similar that Stiles melts a little inside and really, who can blame him for falling in love, although he doesn’t know who he loves more at this moment.

Lilly, they call her, Lilly Hale. Her name, when she is introduced, seconds after Stiles recovers from the fright of his life, makes his heart skip a beat. His mother was called Lilly. It’s a name Stiles always figured he’d give one of his own kids, but it’s perfect for this little one.

She migrates to Stiles, takes his hand like he’s her new BFF and gives him a tour of her garden, showing him the new garden furniture, first the adult version, pine like the swing, then the kids version, pink like the swing seat. 

After a full investigation of the swing set Lilly drags Stiles upstairs to her new room. And wow, Derek hasn’t spared a penny in kitting her room out. The furniture’s white, with pink hearts surrounding a golden crown. There’s a canopy over the bed, pink netting hanging from it, dressers, chairs, toys and books are everywhere. 

And her play room with more toys and books and there’s a television and a couch with a desk and a pink mini fridge. Stiles wonders if Derek’s stocked raw meat in there, but there’s only juice. Eventually they go downstairs to where the rest of the pack have arrived. Isaac and Jackson are glaring at each other, Boyd is lounging on the grass chatting with Erica and Danny, and Scott is gazing at Allison. Lydia’s tense, on the edge of her seat, and when Stiles appears being led around by Lilly she zones in on him immediately. Erica gapes, and everyone looks from Derek to the little girl, to Stiles. 

‘This is Lilly, my daughter.’ Derek says. All attention is on the little one, and Stiles’s heart bursts when she chooses his legs to hide behind and not her Daddy to run to. Derek’s looking at him; it’s a strange contemplative look, like he’s thinking on something important. Probably growling. Or teaching Lilly to growl. Or be sour. ‘Lilly, say hello to everybody.’ Derek instructs. She whispers hello behind Stiles’s legs and refuses to let go of his hand, her little puppy claws gripping his fingers. Stiles lets it happen because Lilly is the cutest werewolf he’s ever met.


	3. Chapter 3

‘Hi Lilly.’ Erica says, creeping closer. Lilly backs further away until Stiles picks her up. She buries her face in his neck and Derek’s frowning now, like he’s unsure if he likes the answer to his puzzle. 

Stiles ignores everyone and moves to where Derek is standing. They transfer the little girl and Stiles rubs his head awkwardly not knowing what to say or where to look. Derek whispers to her for a few moments and she whispers back. ‘Stiles do you mind having her for a while so I can cook dinner. She’s had a long few days.’ Derek says already handing her back.

‘Sure.’ Stiles says, sitting on one of the chairs beside what looks like a box of Lilly’s toys. She immediately introduces him to her cuddly wolf cub, Geezer, and then shows him her various other wolf toys, books and games. There’s the Werewolf’s Version of Little Red Riding Hood, with a little girl being saved from a mean looking old lady by a handsome werewolf, a colouring book full of different woodland creatures that tell the werewolf kids where they hide out and a sling shot. Stiles can’t resist smacking Derek with a missile between the shoulder blades. Derek allows it, but when Jackson tries it he snarls furiously. 

‘Daddy took me on a plane.’ She tells Stiles as she colours in a squirrel bright blue. She’s already put pink bark and purple leaves on the tree. 

‘Wow! I bet that was fun.’ Stiles says, pressing Geezer into her neck. She giggles and pushes him away. 

‘The lady tried to give me a blanket but it smelled funny. Daddy had my blanket for me and he let me sit on his lap when the plane was in the sky.’ She tells Stiles. She puts the blue pencil away and glances up at the rest of the pack, whom she’s so far ignored, they’re all trying not to look at her when it’s quite obvious they want to stare. ‘It’s been so long since I scented him I fell asleep.’ 

‘Dinner’s ready.’ Derek calls. He already has a plate full of food, and he squatting by where Stiles and Lilly are sitting. Lilly peers at the plate and grins, lifting a carrot stick and munching into it. She crunches loudly, the noises reaching Stiles’s ears. Derek rests a hand on her knee; he’s concerned, worried that she’s overwhelmed by the pack. 

‘Carrots help you see better in the dark.’ She tells Stiles wisely. Stiles raises an eyebrow, he’s been practicing. ‘And Daddy made my favourite. Pork chops.’ 

‘You have a good Daddy.’ Stiles teases. She reaches out a tiny hand and pats his head. Derek presses into her hand and closes his eyes for a moment. 

‘Anyone else tries that and I swear it will be my most colourful threat yet.’ Derek warns. Lilly giggles and feeds Stiles a carrot stick. 

‘So you can see better too.’ She explains. Stiles grins and watches the tiny werewolf tear into the pork chop. 

‘It had to be like this.’ Derek says as he rises to sit on the seat beside them. Lilly climbs onto his lap, ignoring them as they talk. 

‘What do you mean?’ Stiles asks. Derek’s talking to him, confiding almost, and Stiles is starting to break out into a sweat. 

‘I couldn’t let her meet one of them first; I don’t want to give the impression of favouritism.’ Derek says. Scott says Derek has favourites, but on different levels. He has no pack second yet, which Scott thinks is strange, but uses them all in turn. Stiles understands what’s happening, Derek’s training and testing them all for the role. He’ll settle eventually. Lilly takes another bite out of her chop and chews happily, her eyes focusing on nothing in the forest around the house.

When it’s home time, Lilly pouts and clings to Stiles. ‘I don’t want you to go.’ She says, eyes full of unshed tears. 

‘I’ll come back to see you another day.’ Stiles promises. He’s had fun with the little girl, more than he thought he would. While he’s been with her his mind has been focused on one thing, Lilly. 

‘Stiles is coming back tomorrow. Isn’t that right.’ Derek says, and there’s no room for negotiation. 

‘Of course I’ll be back tomorrow.’ Stiles says opening his arms for a hug. Lilly throws herself into his chest and almost knocks him over. He looks up to Derek but Derek has that look on his face again, like he’s had a euphoria moment and he’s not sure how he feels about it. He pulls away, and she clings to her Daddy, ignoring Lydia and Erica as they hang back to say goodbye to her. Stiles drives away, and his mind shifts to wondering once again with they’re up to with Derek.

It’s three in the morning when Stiles rolls over in bed and realises that Lydia and Erica want a threesome with Derek. He buries his face in his pillow and forces himself to go back to sleep. 

On Wednesday Stiles realises that he’s spent most of the week with the four year old girl. There’s a pack gathering on Wednesday evening, and it’s raining outside. Derek’s lying on the couch and Lilly’s been using his belly as her personal throne for the last half hour while she watches Dora the Explorer. Derek’s watching it too, and they talk about what’s happening during the advertisements. Stiles has discovered that Derek doesn’t allow for much television time, but when he does he makes it educational for her. Stiles is a little shocked about how Derek talks to the four year old about almost everything but it’s obvious that’s how Derek was brought up too. 

As the rest of the pack arrive Lilly scowls cutely, and Stiles bites his lip so as to keep his laughter and opinions to himself, at least for the time being. It was clear she was enjoying time as just the three of them. ‘I want my own pack.’ Lilly tells Derek once everyone’s seated. Derek raises an eyebrow at her.

‘You have to be an Alpha if you want your own pack.’ Derek explains to her. She thinks about it for a moment.

‘Can’t I be an Alpha Daddy?’ She asks, her bottom lip pouting out. Derek smiles indulgently, pressing it back in with the tip of his finger. 

‘Of course you can baby, but you’ll have to choose your pack wisely. You’re just a baby cub so you’ll need clever betas and bigger betas who can take good care of you.’ He explains. ‘You have to think hard about who’ll be good in your pack and what you want for your pack.’

‘I want my pack to have fun. And bake cupcakes.’ She tells her Daddy. There’s a sigh across the room and Stiles doesn’t know who it is, but whoever it was (Lydia, Erica and Jackson spring to mind) are kind of causing trouble for themselves, because Derek won’t take that attitude around her. 

‘Alright. Fun and cupcakes it is.’ Derek tells her. 

‘I want Stiles.’ She says. Stiles smirks and fist pumps the air. ‘And Isaac.’ 

‘Stiles and Isaac. Good choices.’ Derek says. ‘Who’s your second?’

‘Stiles.’ She nods. ‘And I want Boyd.’ 

‘Are you sure this is a good idea?’ Allison asks. Stiles is shocked it’s her. ‘I mean…what if one of them hurt her.’

‘She’s their Alpha, and their previous Alpha’s daughter. They wouldn’t be able to.’ Derek explains irritably. ‘So what are you going to do with your pack?’

She smiles and rolls off Derek’s belly, onto the floor, making her way towards Isaac and Boyd. ‘Come on Stiles. It’s tea party time.’ Stiles grins as he heads to the kitchen, gathering cookies and juice. They all sit around the tiny table in her playroom, Isaac’s knees are almost at his ears and they sip juice out of tiny cups. ‘Boyd, say hello to Sissy.’ 

‘Hello Sissy.’ Boyd says to the rag doll next to him. Stiles is practically chewing his lips to keep his laughter under control. This is precious and priceless and Stiles really needs to invest in a camera because these moments need to be recorded.

Lilly lets a huff out. ‘Daddy’s much better at this. Isaac go invite the Alpha of that other pack in here please. It’s only polite.’ Stiles can’t help it, he’s full on laughing when Derek pads into the room and flops on the floor beside Lilly, lying on his side with his legs stretched out and crossed at the ankle. His shirt rucks up a little and Stiles can see his hipbone poking out of his jeans. 

‘Thank you for inviting me to your tea party Alpha Lilly.’ Derek says and Stiles gets the feeling they’ve done this before. ‘I see you have a new pack.’

‘I stole them from you.’ She smirks. She props Geezer, her toy wolf, beside Stiles. Then she pours some juice for Derek. ‘Here you go Alpha Daddy.’ 

‘Thank you Alpha Lilly. May I have a biscuit please?’ Stiles grins at them, but his attention is on Scott and Jackson at the door. Their faces are priceless; they’re staring at Derek as if he’s grown another head. The three girls are nowhere to be seen.

‘Of course. Alpha Daddy, why have you brought muscle to my tea party? My pack would never harm you; you’re safe here because you’re still my Daddy.’ Lilly says so sincerely Stiles feels a tiny ache in his heart. One day he wants his kids to be just like Lilly.

‘Well, they want to join the party, but I know there isn’t enough room for them.’ Derek says diplomatically.

‘Oh, maybe next time.’ She says. Stiles laughs again, so hard that he falls off the tiny seat and Lilly clicks her tongue at him. 

‘Sorry.’ He says getting to his knees. ‘I’ll be good I promise.’

‘You better be or I’ll have my Daddy spank you.’ She says sternly. 

Stiles’s ears turn red and he tries to hide his reaction, but Derek’s already smirking at him and Boyd’s gone a funny colour. ‘Now, who’s for more biscuits?’

Stiles drives home, his head in some sort of cloud later that evening. Derek’s been fun to be around, he seems to enjoy spending all his time hanging out with a four year old, and that isn’t doing much to douse the attraction that Stiles feels grow a little more every day.

‘It’s nice how you’ve taken to your boyfriends little girl, but don’t get bogged down son.’ The Sheriff says next morning at breakfast. Stiles chokes on his orange juice, bangs his head off the table and tries to die for several hours. Lilly had distracted him from his crush on Derek, except that she hadn’t at all. She made it worse. Sure Stiles wasn’t a chick, but to see the mighty Derek Hale crawling around his living room one Thursday afternoon, acting like a pony with his daughter on his back, well who wouldn’t love him. 

Love.

Oh. 

Stiles is so fucked. 

And not in the good way. In the 'this will all end badly for Stiles' way? 

‘He’s not my boyfriend.’ Stiles says automatically.

His dad just raises an eyebrow and damn it why can’t Stiles do that properly yet, and nods. ‘If you say so, but be careful. Derek’s Alpha of the werewolf pack you hang around and I know you’ve always had a thing for him…’ 

Sometimes Stiles rues the day he sat his dad down to explain about werewolves. Shocker was, his dad already knew. Apparently Beacon Hills is some sort of hotspot for supernatural activity. ‘Like the hell mouth in Buffy?’ Stiles had asked but his dad had looked confused. 

‘No, like where there’s one, others will follow. The Hales used to keep this area relatively clear of this kind of thing but because Derek’s pack is relatively young danger is always lurking.’ The Sheriff had said and Stiles had almost chocked. ‘I was good friends with Derek’s father.’ And that was all the explanation Stiles had been given. 

If the Sheriff has noticed Stiles’s crush, then Stiles knows he has to take action. He considers distancing himself from the pack, except that doesn’t work because Lilly’s sad when he can’t come to the movies with her and Derek on Thursday because he’s in his room avoiding his new feelings. ‘I’m your Alpha.’ She says over the telephone. ‘You have to do what I say.’

So Stiles goes to the movies. They’re waiting outside for him. Lilly is sitting on Derek’s shoulders playing with his hair. He’s got his hands loosely around her ankles, and he smiles one of those big smiles that Stiles has come to associate with Lilly being around. ‘Hurry up!’ Lilly scolds. ‘Catch me!’ 

Derek bends forward and Stiles catches the little girl in his arms rolling her until she’s hanging over his shoulder. She laughs and they make their way inside, Lilly attempting to drape herself around Stiles’s shoulders but it doesn’t work and Stiles ends up fitting her into a piggy back position until Derek returns with snacks. Lilly chooses their seats, pushing the armrest in the middle up so she can use whatever lap she wants. It means Stiles’s is sitting close to Derek, shoulder to ankle, and Derek has his arm resting on the back of the chair. He’s slouched slightly, his knees apart and Stiles ends up copying him to get comfortable, the base of his skull resting on Derek’s arm. Lilly is literally between them, using the legs they have pressed together as her seat, her legs dangling between theirs as she stares at the screen munching away on her popcorn. 

When they leave the theatre, Lilly is half asleep, drooping over Derek’s shoulder. ‘I’ll maybe come over tomorrow.’ Stiles says, tilting his head so he can see Lilly’s face over Derek’s shoulder. She looks up at him, eyes sleepy and gives him a big smile, then puckers her lips for a kiss. Stiles steps forward, aware that he’s going to be pressed against Derek, and anchors his hands on Derek’s hips. He rises slightly on his toes and gives her a quick kiss. The heat of Derek’s body burns through his clothes and later, as Stiles is removing them and sliding into bed in only his shorts, he imagines he can still feel Derek’s body. He runs a hand down the middle of his chest, tracing around his bellybutton and dips lower under his shorts. Closing his eyes he pictures Derek and lets his fingers do what they do best.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank you guys for your kudos and comments. I love that the most when I'm writing.

School is due back in a few weeks later, which sucks but Stiles is a senior now, so yay. It’s really not yay. He enjoys his last few days of freedom hanging out at Derek’s with Lilly; they play games together, makes messes and hang around with whoever Lilly permits to sit with them. Isaac’s usually there because somehow Derek managed to get himself registered as Isaac’s legal guardian thanks to Danny and his hacking skills, and occasionally other members of Derek’s pack, but it feels like Stiles is always there. 

On the first day of term Stiles rolls from bed and curses the gods above for the cruelty they have unleashed upon the world. He showers, dresses, skips breakfast and manages to make it on time. He hates the first day back, there’s the timetable distribution and confusion, the question over whether subject teachers have changed. The pack is sitting together and usually he flings himself on the edge of their gathering, but he’s jostled into the middle. Erica curls a finger under his chin and tips his head up to look at him, her thumb brushing over the bags under his eyes. ‘Couldn’t sleep?’ She asks. 

Stiles pulls his head away and turns to Jackson and Boyd, who are already talking Lacrosse. Scott’s cooing over Allison and Lydia’s fixing her make up. Already. Danny keeps glancing across the room at Matt and Erica’s already turned her attention back to Isaac, massaging her fingers over his hands. He wonders what Derek and Lilly are doing, what their plans for the day are. Lilly will dominate Derek’s schedule, as usual, but Stiles has noticed Derek’s started to leave her with other members of the pack for thirty minutes here and there, but it’s Stiles and Isaac who spend most time with her. 

Class schedules are handed out while Allison and Scott paint her nails, and Stiles groans loud enough to draw attention from the teacher. He smiles at her glare and shrugs nodding towards his best friend. She rolls her eyes in sympathy and turns to fawn over Danny and Jackson. The day drags and finally Stiles is free to do…huh, he has no plans. ‘Can you give me a lift home?’ Isaac asks coming out the door behind him. 

‘Sure.’ Stiles says, which is how he ends up sitting across the table from Lilly making cupcakes out of her play dough factory. Isaac and Derek are doing werewolf things and it’s just the two of them. 

‘Stiles?’ Lilly says, and it’s that question tone that Stiles has come to both love and dread. Her questions are always so interesting. 

‘Yeah?’ He asks setting aside his latest creation. It’s a zombie cupcake, blue and green goo coming out of the casing Lilly allowed him to play with.

‘Daddy says I’ll never see my Auntie Laura again.’ She says. It’s a question, even if it’s not shaped like one. Stiles doesn’t know how to respond to that, he’s only been hanging out with her a month, and she’s one of the most important people in his life, and always will be. She’s almost his baby girl too, and he’d face off almost anyone who tried to say different, including Derek. He’s never felt this fiercely protective over something before.

Stiles opens his mouth, and then snaps it shut, for once at a loss for words. Lilly looks sad, her tiny fingers pressing into a green blob of the dough. ‘I bet your Auntie Laura loved you loads.’ Stiles says. Lilly nods.

‘Auntie Laura gave me Geezer.’ Lilly says as she reaches for the wolf and holds it close. 

‘See, she loved you loads, and she bought your favourite toy right?’ Stiles asks. Lilly nods. ‘So even though you’ll never see her again she’s always with you, looking after you through Geezer.’ Stiles hopes it’s enough. Lilly gets up and pushes her way into Stiles’s lap, resting her head against his chest. He buries his face in her hair, breathing her scent in, wraps his arms around her body. ‘You’re special.’ He says, so low he’s not sure she hears it. 

‘I can hear your heartbeat.’ She tells him. He reaches a hand down and runs it through her dark curls. Her fingers twist in her skirt and Stiles takes a moment to appreciate that Derek has to do everything for this little girl, he has to feed her, bathe her and dress her. Sure she’s pretty damn cool but she’s only four years old and she needs so much care and attention and that’s what Derek’s devoted his life to doing. 

After a while Lilly untangles herself from his lap and goes to find a toy to amuse herself. Stiles tidies away the play dough, and checks his phone. His dad is texting him about dinner and Stiles looks out the back to where Derek’s throwing things at Isaac whose trying to duck and avoid being hit. 

‘Hey Derek, do you mind if my dad comes over for dinner?’ Stiles calls. He doesn’t particularly want to leave Lilly this afternoon. 

Derek turns and walks towards him and Isaac looks grateful for the break, flopping onto his back and gasping. ‘Sure.’ Derek says, stopping close to him. ‘Is Lilly ok?’

Stiles hesitates, wondering if he should talk to Derek about Laura. He tries to find the words to put it to Derek without sounding like he’s interfering. ‘She misses her aunt.’ Stiles says finally.

‘Today is Laura’s birthday. Lilly remembered.’ Derek explains. Stiles nods and shuffles his feet. ‘Are you going to cook something?’

‘I usually feed me and my dad; a few extra mouths are no problem.’ Stiles mutters, shoving his hands in his pockets. Derek looks him up and down for a second then his lips curl. ‘Want me to make anything in particular?’

‘I remember my parents used to stand here almost every day and discuss what was for dinner.’ He says. Stiles doesn’t speak, doesn’t want to ruin Derek’s mood. ‘I want that for Lilly. She needs a stable home, parents who love each other, a pack she can depend on.’

Stiles’s heart thumps in his chest and Derek frowns at him. ‘Two out of three isn’t bad right.’ Stiles says, turning away from Derek and going back inside. Lilly’s curled up on the couch, a doll in her arms. She’s telling the doll about Aunt Laura and Stiles heart is hurting so he texts his dad and starts on dinner, settling on a beef stir fry.

On Wednesday Stiles brings Isaac home again, but he has a shit ton of homework already and he isn’t planning on hanging around much. Stiles finds Lilly doing homework too, apparently, so he drops onto the floor beside where she’s kneeling at the coffee table, her Alphabet worksheet sitting out and three letters in her wobbly handwriting on it. Derek’s slumped into the sofa, because Lilly’s homework is pretty much parental harassment. It exhausts Stiles and he’s seventeen. She coos over Stiles’s textbooks when he drags them out of his bag. ‘Daddy, you haven’t got Stiles his snack yet.’

‘Yeah Derek, you haven’t got me my snack yet.’ Stiles grins innocently at him. Derek gives Stiles a look before getting up and slouching to the kitchen. ‘Hey Lilly, what did you do at school today?’

‘Kicked ass and took names.’ She grins. They high five and Derek snorts from the kitchen. 

‘Nice one babes, but just remember, we don’t say ass in front of Daddy because then I get in trouble.’ Stiles warns her, listening for creeper Derek coming to strangle him for teaching Lilly naughty words. 

‘You won’t get in trouble.’ She says confidently. Derek returns with cookies and milk for all three of them. 

‘Can you babysit for me this weekend?’ Derek asks Stiles when Lilly manages to finish her work. Derek’s leaning over the couch, his elbows on his knees, looking at the sheet on the table, half a cookie clasped in his fingertips.

‘Doing something interesting?’ Stiles muses highlighting a photograph in his history book. Lilly snags the last piece of Derek’s cookie, nipping the corner off it, before stuffing the last of it into Derek’s mouth. Derek chuckles, chewing it before going back to Stiles. 

‘I’m going out with a friend.’ Derek says. Stiles ignores the tightness in his chest. Of course Derek will date; he’s looking for a good mother for his little girl, for someone who can give him more babies, who can give them a stable future. Stiles just hopes he’s allowed to hang out with the little girl as much as possible. 

‘Anyone I know?’ Stiles tries, sucking his cheek between his teeth and biting down a little. 

‘I’m not sure.’ Derek answers and that’s it. There’s no more added to the conversation because Lilly is barrelling onto Derek’s lap with a pink box and tossing a hairbrush into his chest. 

‘Braid my hair.’ She demands. Derek carefully removes the clips that’s holding her hair out of her eyes and brushes it until it’s smooth. She doesn’t whine about tats because he’s careful, working them out slowly, and then he’s gathering her hair in his hands. 

‘Pig tails or one braid?’ Derek asks as he runs his fingers through her hair. 

‘Pigtails.’ She decides. Stiles watches Derek split her hair evenly, and then his long fingers thread her hair into her demanded style. She chooses two orange bobbles to hold the braids in. 

‘There we go beautiful.’ He says lifting her onto the floor and kissing her head. She grins at them both then skips across the room to her toy box. 

‘Are you staying for dinner tonight Stiles?’ She asks, planting herself on Stiles’s crossed legs with Geezer and a rag doll. 

‘Nah, not tonight pumpkin.’ He says. She looks disappointed but he resolutely ignores the feeling in his chest. It’s only intensified since Derek’s announcement of a date. Stiles doesn’t want to think about Derek with someone else, about Lilly with someone else, because Stiles feels like she’s a big part of his life now and losing her would hurt him more than he’d like to admit. He’s only known her too few weeks, and he’s attached more than he should be. 

He leaves shortly after that, Lilly begging her Daddy to go play in the forest. She gives Stiles a look that says he should be joining them but Stiles tries to ignore it, tries to focus on something else as he drives home. It’s unnatural, this feeling. He’s a seventeen year old boy, he should be thinking about dating and sex and having fun, about sneaking liquor out of the house and finding parties to crash. Instead all he wants is this little family to be his family. The revelation frightens him so much he can’t eat. 

Instead he goes to bed and lies there until he’s asleep, and it takes longer than he expects. In the morning he’s in yesterday’s clothes, and he’s starving but the knot in his belly has only intensified. He goes to school, comes home and forgets it’s supposed to be dinner with Lilly night until she calls him, growling and demanding he get there immediately. He does, he ignores Derek’s angry gaze and Erica’s smirk. Lydia arrives with a frown on her face and Stiles wants to tell them all to get lost, apart from Lilly. Lilly balls him out and he feels shit. He shouldn’t, a kid shouldn’t have this power over him, but she does.

‘Forgive me?’ He begs, falling to his knees in front of her. He doesn’t bother lying to her, she knows anyway. She thinks about it for five seconds before throwing her arms around his neck and kissing his face. It turns into a tumbling match with Stiles on his back and Lilly triumphant on his chest, holding her fists in the air and calling for Derek to come see. Derek cracks a small smile at them. Erica’s standing behind him rolling her eyes at Lydia who just shrugs and goes back to the kitchen. 

‘Lilly you’re a little girl, should you really be wrestling on the floor with boys?’ Erica asks.

‘I wrestled all the time with Laura. How I learned to fight.’ Derek tells her, brushing back into the kitchen where the rest of his pack have gathered. 

‘You’re my favourite.’ Lilly tells Stiles. ‘Come push me on my swing.’

Stiles and Lilly miss the start of dinner because they’re counting the pushes and Lilly’s up to thirteen and doesn’t want to stop now. Derek just leans against the doorjamb watching them with a half-smile on his face and ends up missing the first part of dinner himself. He doesn’t seem to care.

Turns out its Erica and Lydia who’s going out with Derek on Saturday night. Lilly doesn’t seem impressed that Daddy has his ‘shiny shirt and smelly stuff’ on for them. Stiles isn’t either. She pouts at him and Derek takes her aside to talk to her. 

‘I don’t want you to marry Erica.’ Lilly says. Stiles is in the living room not eavesdropping. Lilly’s just…loud.

‘Who says I’m marrying Erica?’ Derek asks softly.

‘No one but I don’t want you to. Or Lydia.’ Lilly sounds sad. Stiles has the most uncontrollable urge to comfort her.

‘Who do you want me to marry?’ Derek asks reasonably. Stiles gets the feeling that whomever Lilly names, Derek will seriously consider.

‘My Stiles.’ She whispers. His heart lurches at the Stiles part, at the my part. It’s like he belongs to her now, like he’ll never get away because he’s been claimed into her pack. 

‘I don’t know if Stiles is ready to marry me just yet.’ Derek whispers to her. Stiles’s world falls apart, like Derek will assume Stiles will marry him if he just asks. ‘He has to go to college and get a job and all that grown up stuff.’ Or perhaps he’s just putting the little girl off, delaying this question until she’s older and can understand that her Daddy doesn’t want to marry Stiles. Stiles realises, as he sits there rolling the hem of his over shirt around his finger that he’s never wanted to get married more in his life.

‘But he’s not a grown up. He’s my Stiles. Can’t he be like my friend May’s mommy; she stays at home all day and plays with her.’ Lilly begs.

‘Stiles isn’t your mommy.’ Derek explains.

‘But he’s my Stiles.’ And that, that right there, it explains everything. 

Derek still goes out, but he has this look about him that Stiles can’t pin. Lilly plans the evening ahead, with food and movies and games and Stiles is sure he’s going to be exhausted because this four year old werewolf has more energy than Stiles on sugar. He finally manages to get her to relax on the couch with him (Stiles lies on his back and she uses him as her personal mattress) and they watch Mulan. Lilly’s all for girls who kick ass. Stiles tries to ignore the crush he gets on Shang and the fact that he personally identifies most with Mushu. He’s not some crazy lizard thing, he’s a boy damn it. 

He doesn’t see the end of the movie, but he does wake to see a relaxed looking Derek peering at them curled around each other on the sofa. ‘Go ‘way.’ Stiles murmurs because Lilly is like a mini hot water bottle. Derek ignores him, bending to scoop Lilly into his arms. She snuggles into his chest, making a little fist in his shirt for a moment. 

Stiles sighs and gets up, looking around for his sneakers. ‘Stay.’ Derek says. Stiles is about to protest but somehow, with one arm wrapped around Lilly, Derek gets his hand on the back of Stiles’s neck and guides them both upstairs. He deposits Stiles into one of the guest bedrooms and disappears with Lilly. Stiles face plants onto the bed, struggling out of his jeans and shirt and sleeps half under the duvet in just his shorts and t-shirt. In the morning when he wakes he finds he’s all tucked in. He wonders if it happened naturally, or did someone tuck him in?


	5. Chapter 5

They eat breakfast together. Stiles doesn’t ask Derek about his date and he offers no information. Lilly gives a running commentary of everything that happened last night with Stiles and then refuses to allow him to go home. He stays, and works on his homework. The Sheriff joins them for dinner, again and Stiles gets the feeling it isn’t because he misses his son. The sight of Lilly running to him, her curls bouncing, and his dad scooping her up makes Stiles’s belly feel warm and squidgy. Perhaps Derek will allow Stiles’s dad to still be in Lilly’s life when he finds a mother for her. 

Stiles cook’s meatballs and Derek makes the sauce to go with it, moving fluidly around each other in Derek’s kitchen like they’ve been doing it for years. Lilly has taken to calling the Sheriff Grandpa and Stiles eyes Derek nervously every time she does but Derek just smiles happily and they go off outside or into the den and do whatever she forces him to do. Erica and Lydia appear as they’re about to sit down but they just want to talk to Derek. Alone. 

Isaac shifts uncomfortably while the Sheriff makes small talk about school and lacrosse and how he’s happy Isaac has settled into Derek’s life. Lilly on the other hand, has her head tilted, listening carefully to what’s going on in the other room. Stiles tells Lilly how rude it is to listen in to other peoples conversations, because that’s what she’s doing, and she ignores him. ‘Pot. Kettle. Black.’ The Sheriff says. Stiles gives him the stink eye but it’s nowhere near as good as Lydia’s or Lilly’s. 

‘What’s a double date?’ Lilly asks and Stiles’s heart lurches. He eyes her for a second before digging back into his spaghetti. Derek comes back; looking stony faced and sits to eat. He doesn’t mention the conversation until The Sheriff’s long gone and Stiles has helped him put Lilly to bed. It’s late Sunday evening, dark outside and starting to rain lightly. There’s soft light bathing the hallway as Stiles follows Derek downstairs and into the living room. Derek sits on the couch, rubbing his hand over his face, and picks up his book before replacing it again. It’s all very domestic, and Stiles almost shudders at the thought of going back upstairs to bed with Derek. 

‘Erica and Lydia want to double date.’ Derek says breaking into Stiles’s fantasy of Derek kissing him goodnight, although he’s not sure if goodnight kisses go that low on the body... 

‘Oh.’ Stiles replies, licking his lips. Stiles isn’t too keen on the thought of watching Derek and Erica being all over each other on a date, and he doesn’t know when he suddenly got with Lydia or maybe it’s the other way around and he has to watch the man he loves and the girl he used to love. Or maybe the three person date from last night was too odd looking and they need someone to balance them out. ‘Why?’

‘I guess they want to hang out with you too.’ Derek says. It’s all the answer Stiles needs. 

‘I’m going to go now.’ Stiles says. He pulls his hoodie around him as he steps outside. It’s late September and he’s shivering, although that could have something to do with trying to avoid his heart and its accusations. He gets home in record time. His dad is watching Hawaii Five 0 and Stiles slumps beside him on the sofa. 

‘That Lilly’s a piece of work.’ He says. 

‘Sure is.’ Stiles grins to himself. ‘She’s perfect.’

‘She reminds me of someone.’ His dad says, taking his glasses off and cleaning the lens on his jumper. It’s an old one, one Stiles remembers his dad having from the time Stiles was a kid. He remembers his mom used to wear it sometimes, pulling it over her head when she was cold or wanted to be close to her husband.

Stiles shrugged. ‘A name says a lot for a person.’ 

‘Your mother would have loved her, but she wouldn’t have wanted you to take too much on without being sure, being really sure you knew what you were getting yourself into.’ His dad says. Stiles watches a suspect interrogation on television, picks at the cuff of his sleeve. 

‘I’m not taking anything on. I’m like a brother to her. Besides Derek’s going to find a mother for her, someone they can both love.’ Stiles drops his eyes to the toes of his sneakers. He notices a scuff, licks his thumb, leans over to clean it. 

‘Stiles, son, a brother figure doesn’t negotiate eating one more meatball for an extra half scoop of ice cream afterwards, a brother doesn’t wash a child’s face after dinner, nor does he help the child’s father put her to bed. And I’ve seen the way they both look at you. They think you’re theirs.’ His dad says.

‘You’ve got it wrong dad. Derek’s seeing someone else, he’s looking for someone who can co parent with him.’ Stiles says standing and walking out of the room.

‘Don’t see why he’s looking when he’s already found someone.’ He hears his dad say. He ignores the words, climbing to his room and stripping his clothes. He slides into bed and closes his eyes pushing all thoughts of handsome stubble and green eyes, and sticky fingers wrapped around his own. 

His week is pretty much like the one before, except that he’s going on a date on Saturday. He spends a long time wondering whether to wear the red shirt, or the maroon shirt, or the white one. He settles for maroon. He doesn’t know what they’re doing, just that it’s a date, but he thinks Derek mentioned somewhere that the volume isn’t intrusive to conversation. Like he talks a lot, moron. He’ll probably just sit there and brood at the other patrons, sniff out candidates for a mate, freak waiters out and horrify chefs with his eating habits. 

They go for dinner on Saturday night. Derek entrusts Lilly to Danny, Allison and Scott. (Quite frankly Stiles is amused that it takes one Stiles to look after her, one human Stiles, when it takes two werewolves who are sort of boyfriends and their sort of girlfriend and let’s hope Lilly doesn’t catch the wrong pair making out or that will be complicated.) Derek picks Stiles up which is weird because Stiles expects to be picking Erica or Lydia up because isn’t that what guys do, but then he remembers Lydia’s reaction to his baby at the winter formal so he concedes that Derek’s perhaps smarter than he looks. 

Derek pays for everything, and no one questions him. It’s his ‘right’ as Alpha, apparently. Lydia and Erica are glued to each other all night, talking sharing their food, and sometimes their fork. They both share with Derek, and Derek shares with Stiles. Lydia amuses herself with him for fifteen minutes but as dates go it’s pretty lame. They don’t talk that much. Derek watches Stiles, Stiles watches the girls and they spilt their time between sighing dramatically and giggling together. Stiles hates girls sometimes. The round table doesn’t help Stiles work out who’s with whom, because Stiles is sitting opposite Derek and the girls are on either side of them. He wonders who's playing footsie with whom and tries not to feel disappointed that no one includes him. 

‘Are you coming home with me?’ Derek asks Stiles when they’re in the car later. 

‘Seeing as we’re on your driveway I expect so.’ Stiles says. He thinks Derek’s up to something. Turns out he wasn’t wrong. 

The house is chaos. Lilly has run riot. Scott’s tied to a chair in the dining room. ‘Um…’ Stiles says. Derek shakes his head in disgust.

‘Can someone untie me?’ Scott asks.

‘You’re a werewolf. Use your super-duper werewolf powers to free yourself.’ Stiles says crossing his arms.

‘I’m afraid of breaking the legs of the chair. Derek will probably tear my legs off and use them as fancy stools or something.’ Scott admits. Derek looks like he’s considering the idea for a moment. That or he’s impressed with the threat Scott just came up with. Stiles sighs and recues Scott from the chair. They find Allison next in the upstairs bathroom washing what looks like all her makeup off her face. Stiles thinks Lilly may have made her a gothic clown, but he can’t be sure. He does intend to ask the little girl about it in the morning.

‘You should know not to let her near it.’ Derek says when Allison glares at him like it’s his fault. Stiles smirks. Derek’s right, Stiles has heard him warn the girls a million times to keep the things they don’t want interfered with away from the curious four year old werewolf.

Danny’s reading Jungle Book quietly on the end of Lilly’s bed. She’s asleep but he doesn’t look convinced when Derek tells him so. ‘She’s been asleep five times tonight and that didn’t work.’ Danny hisses, his eyes wide in something akin to fright. 

‘I need a new babysitter.’ Derek grumbles as the three of them make their way into one bedroom, ‘that or Isaac needs to not have a social life when we want to do something.’ Stiles looks at the closed door for a moment before heading for his own guest room bidding Derek a quiet good night. He’s exhausted again and he’s asleep in in moments. His mind has no time to process the night’s events and he falls asleep to thoughts of Lilly tying Derek to a chair and Derek letting her, because he’s a big softie really, creep their way into his dreams. Then Lilly disappears and, as dreams go, Stiles gets distracted for a while until he’s back at Derek tied to the chair only this time he’s naked, and begging Stiles for release but Stiles gets the feeling he doesn’t want to be untied. He wakes with a start. It’s still dark outside and his erection is tenting his boxer shorts. He staggers to the bathroom and splashes cold water on his face. There’s no way he’s jerking off with five werewolves in the house, and especially not in the house that the werewolf he loves owns. 

Stiles stubbornly goes back to bed, lying on his belly, face stuck in his pillow, and he somehow manages to fall back asleep. Lilly wakes him in the morning. Or her hair wakes him because it’s in his nose. She’s curled up asleep in his arms and he doesn’t even remember her getting in beside him. Derek’s hovering at the doorway, a strange look on his face. ‘I’m getting up.’ Stiles mutters.

‘Stay in bed. It’s raining outside.’ Derek says, as if that’s incentive. Lilly shifts and Derek walks into the room to open the window. Lilly snuggles closer and Derek just stands with his hands in his pockets looking out. He’s quiet, like he’s thinking of something important. Stiles wants to speak, to ask him what’s up but the patter of the rain, and Lilly’s warmth sooths him. He doesn’t fall back asleep but he does relax. In his mind’s eye, Derek is wrapping himself around both of them, pressing a kiss to Stiles’s shoulder. He imagines Derek sending Lilly to get a book or something, just so they have a few seconds to kiss each other good morning before the little girl is back, getting herself comfortable for story time. 

‘We need to talk.’ Derek says, but then he disappears from the room and Lilly’s talking to Geezer and Stiles is a bit confused about what’s happening. They don’t talk, at all. Stiles eventually gets up and takes a shower. He’s dressed and ready for a late lunch, then heads home around three. Most of the pack is already there, but no one stops him from leaving. He spends the rest of his Sunday catching up on homework, and doesn’t hear from anyone. He goes to bed around midnight and misses the warmth of Lilly beside him. 

He’s become Isaac’s designated lift home from school, so naturally he takes him on Monday. There’s a strange car in the driveway, and when Stiles and Isaac make it inside there’s a woman sitting at the table, Lilly on her lap and Derek leaning on the counter, his arms and legs crossed, laughing at something someone’s said. Lilly beams at him, stretching her arms up for a cuddle. Stiles lifts her, kissing her hair and twirling her around. ‘How’s your day been?’ He asks.

‘Kick ass.’ Lilly says. 

‘Hey now Lilly that’s not polite.’ The woman says. Lilly ducks her head onto his shoulder. 

‘This is Lisa,’ Derek says, ‘a good friend.’ 

Lisa smiles at him, one of those secret smiles that Stiles wants to glare at. ‘Lisa, this is Stiles.’ 

‘Oh.’ She suddenly looks deflated. ‘You’re nothing like what I expected.’ 

Stiles frowns, not really sure how to take that. He walks towards Derek and is surprised when there’s a hand on the back of his neck pulling him close and Derek’s lips are on his cheek. He pulls Stiles to lean against him, wrapping his arms around both Stiles and Lilly. Isaac steps into the room, raises his eyebrows and joins them, hovering close by his Alpha. ‘And you must be Isaac. When will I meet the rest of the pack?’

‘Stiles and Isaac are in my pack.’ Lilly says.

‘You’re too young to have a pack.’ Lisa says to Lilly, tilting her head to the side and leaning her chin on the heel of her hand. 

‘I have Stiles and Isaac and Boyd.’ Lilly explains. Derek nods. 

‘She took them from me.’ He says indulgently. ‘It was one hell of a coup.’ 

‘There was a tea party.’ Isaac agrees. Jackson appears, hovering around the kitchen and Danny’s not far behind him. Stiles knows there’s no meeting or anything, so he wonders why they’re curling around the house. Stiles realises its Derek’s wolf, calling his pack around him. Danny makes dinner, and Scott arrives with Boyd. 

‘Where are the girls?’ Stiles asks. 

‘Bonding over shopping apparently.’ Boyd says. Scott helps Danny cook and chases Stiles from the kitchen. He finds Lilly behind Jackson on the couch brushing his hair, curling it into different styles. Derek’s laughing out loud, sitting on an armchair with his feet on the coffee table, ankles crossed. There are two strangers, men, clearly part of Lisa’s pack, but Lilly and Derek are familiar with them. Stiles feels a pang of jealousy for a second that Lilly may have her mamma, but she spends more time running to Stiles and Derek and ignores Lisa. Derek for his part keeps Stiles close, hovers around him, and hardly takes his eyes off him.

‘Lisa and her friends are staying for a few days.’ Derek says later. Stiles is on the front porch sipping coffee and gazing into the trees. 

‘Oh.’ Stiles says. 

‘We used to date. Lisa and I, after Louise I…she got on well with Lilly but then Laura came here and I broke it off. She kept Lilly with her pack while I was here sorting the whole mess out.’ Derek says. 

‘Why’s she back?’ Stiles asks. He pokes the toe of his shoe against the wooden boards. 

‘I invited her for a few days.’ Derek says. He’s standing slightly behind Stiles, but Stiles can feel eyes on the back of his neck, watching him. 

‘That’s nice.’ Stiles says. ‘I have to go home.’ His heart is aching, and he just needs to get away, to free himself from the constricting pain of Derek with someone else. First its Lydia and Erica, not Lisa. The difference is Lilly loves Lisa. Earlier Lilly had spent the afternoon with Stiles but after dinner she’d dragged Geezer onto Lisa’s lap and the two of them had played ever since. 

‘Won’t you stay Stiles?’ Derek asks softly, so low Stiles barely hears it. 

‘I can’t I have to get home.’ Stiles gives Derek a brief flash of a smile. ‘I need my beauty sleep.’

He pushes his angst away and drives home slowly, carefully. He does homework; stays awake to three am, and can barely get up for school next morning. It’s easier to ignore the dark rings around his eyes than the tight ring around his heart.


	6. Chapter 6

Stiles is lying on his bed, laptop on his belly watching Pirates of the Caribbean when there’s a tap on his bedroom door and Derek slides in without waiting for an invitation. Rude wolf. ‘You left in a hurry.’ Derek says.

‘Hello Stiles, nice evening for creeping, how are you, mind if we talk and you ignore your movie?’ Stiles snapped pausing his screen. Derek folds his arms and waits for Stiles to finish his rant. 

‘You know I don’t know why I’m bothering with all this Stiles, why I keep chasing after you when you run away from a problem. Lilly’s upset you didn’t say goodbye.’ Derek says. ‘I told her you needed to see your dad, that you missed him. She understood that excuse.’ He stuffs his fingers in his pockets. He’s not wearing his leather jacket, it’s a lighter dark coat, and it makes him look younger for a moment. Stiles sighs and sets his laptop on the floor. 

‘Lilly was busy with Lisa, I didn’t want to disturb them.’ Stiles says scrubbing his face with his hands. 

‘You should have. Lisa thinks less of you because you just took off.’ Derek says leaning back against the wall. He’s relaxed, his eyes roaming Stiles’s room curiously. There are pictures on the walls, pictures that Lilly and Stiles created pictures of them together, one of the three of them and a pack portrait. There are also pictures of Stiles and his mom, his family, cousins from Idaho and Texas. Stiles follows Derek’s gaze and it’s a long moment before Derek speaks. ‘All Lilly talked about to Lisa was you. All night, she told her how awesome you were, how you take care of her and Isaac, of me and your dad, and the rest of the pack.’

‘Great. Your kid loves me.’ Stiles says bitterly. He instantly kicks himself for it, for the tone of his words but he can’t take them back now. 

‘Lisa has been a mom to Lilly for years, from she was eighteen months. Lilly’s never had much luck with women in her life. First her mother left, then Laura died, and no matter how hard we tried Lisa and I couldn’t make it work for her. She’s rejecting the females here in the pack and I can’t have that, I need her to have female influences, I need her to trust the girls, and I need you to trust them too. I had a long chat with Lisa after Lilly went to bed. You don’t trust the girls, your influences bleed over to Lilly which makes her hostile towards them.’

‘So you’re saying I shouldn’t be around as much?’ Stiles asks. Derek groans and shakes his head.

‘No, I’m asking why you don’t trust the girls?’

‘I…Allison’s a hunter’s daughter.’ Stiles says biting his lip. He loves Allison; he really does, but around Lilly makes Stiles uncomfortable. Allison is her usual sweet self, but sometimes her suggestions are strict and she has this thing about Lilly not realising she’s four years old, and then there’s the fact that she knows better than anyone how to kill a werewolf. Her family have done it.

‘That’s never bothered you before.’ Derek points out, but there’s a little twist of his lips. Stiles doesn’t know why Derek’s smiling. 

‘I know but, I just…if she hurts Lilly I’ll kill her.’ Stiles says. He’s surprised those words slipped out, surprised at the venom in them. He lifts his eyes to meet Derek’s. Derek’s smiling, full on smiling at him now. 

‘She won’t. She and I had a long talk that involved her father too. I’ve made it quite clear where I stand on werewolf politics. I’m not as good at that stuff as Laura, but I have something to lose and they understand I’ll protect what’s mine.’ Derek says. His voice is strong and it sends shivers down Stiles’s spine. He wishes he was included in what Derek considers “mine”. 

‘Erica.’ Derek says.

Stiles licks his lips. Erica is a ball of confusion, she’s sweet sometimes, she doesn’t treat him unkindly, she used to flirt like hell with him and there was that time when…well…yeah…Stiles doesn’t need to think about the day he lost his virginity when his most favourite wet dream ever is in his bedroom, only a few feet away from him. ‘Erica has these plans.’

‘She certainly does. She and Lydia both, but that doesn’t mean you can’t trust them Stiles. I mean Lilly has to understand. Look at us, Lilly understands us.’ Derek says leaning forward. He’s wearing an army green t-shirt, but it was a grey Henley earlier and Stiles can’t help but wonder why he changed, what made him change. His mind is running away from him, an overload of information, and he just wants it all to stop to go away. 

‘Who’s with Lilly now?’ Stiles asks.

‘Lisa. She told me to come talk to you, she thinks your good for Lilly, says we’re a perfect family. She wants us to go out tomorrow, just us, do something fun.’ Derek says. He’s staring at his hands, turning them over slowly, linking his fingers together. 

‘Oh…so ah…are we going to? Go out?’ Stiles asks shifting on the bed.

‘Only if you want to.’ Derek says.

‘I suppose it might be fun.’ Stiles licks his lips. 

‘It’s a date.’ Derek grins and like a flash he’s left the room and Stiles is staring at the space where he was moments ago. 

XXX

This time there are no girls. Derek takes Stiles to local bar where several live bands are playing in a battle of the bands type of thing. There are five in total and the audience have to vote who their favourite is, but the kicker is, couples have to share a voting ticket, so they have to agree. ‘No way were Robinson’s Alternative Vacation the best Stiles.’ Derek says sitting back in his chair, bottle of beer dangling from his fingers. 

‘Were so!’ Stiles says. ‘The name alone…’

‘DFR.’ Derek says, lifting the pencil to mark his favourite in. 

‘Oh no Sour Wolf, you do not get to choose. Initials aren’t best band worthy.’ Stiles says reaching out to snag Derek’s beer and take a sip. They’ve been doing that all night, sharing Derek’s beer because there’s no way the bar would approve of serving a seventeen year old. Sneaking sips is easy to get away with. 

‘Stiles we need to choose, they’re collecting papers.’ Derek pushes at Stiles but Stiles won’t budge. 

‘Na ah, not until you agree that I have better taste in music than you do.’ Stiles says pulling the paper away.

‘Fine, you choose, just remember the next idiot decision that we have to make like this is my turn.’ That makes Stiles pause in his celebration, pencil halfway to the voting slip. 

‘You vote.’ Stiles says.

‘Oh no, this is your vote baby.’ Derek says causally taking the beer back and taking a long swallow. Stiles watches his throat contract as the liquid slides down. 

‘Slip.’ The gothic girl says at their table, breaking Stiles out of his fantasy of making Derek drink something else. 

‘Oh uh…’ Stiles sticks random numbers on the page and hands it to her, barely noticing the metal on her face. Derek’s smirking at him, like he knows what Stiles is thinking and he probably does, because Stiles is sure he reeks of arousal. 

‘Not on a first date Stiles.’ Derek whispers leaning close. ‘I’ve been told I’m a gentleman and I want to keep up that reputation in tact thank you very much.’ Derek says. DFR won the battle, because they come back on stage to screech their noise pollution into the atmosphere but Derek’s hauling Stiles to his feet and dragging him outside. ‘Come on, I’m hungry. I want a burger before I take you home, and you reek of beer.’

‘I’ve only had…’ Stiles starts. He’s drunk half of what Derek did, and yeah ok he’s a bit wobbly on his feet and in no state for his dad to see him so he allows Derek to steer him into the Camaro. When they get to Stiles’s favourite diner Derek drags Stiles to a booth at the back and slides in beside him instead of opposite. They order the Gut Buster for two, and eat until Stiles thinks he won’t be able to move. Ever. 

Derek is a gentleman; he walks Stiles to the front door, presses a kiss to his cheek and practically pushes him inside. Stiles goes to his room in a haze of happiness and falls asleep as soon as he lies down. 

XXX

Halloween rolls around. Seems everyone has plans except Stiles who offers to babysit if Derek wants to do something. Derek shoots him a funny look. 'We're all doing something. Your Dad took the night off to babysit. Erica and Lydia are having a party here. It's dress up.' Derek snarls the last part. 

'Oh...Dads staying here?' Stiles can't imagine his dad doing that. 

'No Lilly's staying with your dad. She'll sleep in your bed; it's covered in your scent.' Derek explains. Stiles is at a loss for words. Derek looks like he wants to say something else but stops himself. 

'I wanted to take her trick or treating.' Stiles pouts. Derek's lips curl into a smile usually reserved for Lilly, but Stiles supposes this is Lilly related so he can live with it. For a moment he pretends it's for him. 

His heartbeat must change or something because Derek's got his concerned frown on. 'What’s wrong?' He asks stepping into Stiles's personal space. Stiles sucks a breath into his lungs. Derek's hand runs down his arm to his wrist, his finger resting on Stiles's pulse point. Their faces are close, inches apart and Derek's breathing him in, ducking his nose to Stiles's neck. 

Derek stays like that, edging his nose up and down the vulnerable skin on Stiles's neck, scent marking him the way Lilly does. 

Stiles keeps his body stalk still and tense, and then, oh fuck, Derek licks him, and he actually uses his tongue to moisten the strip of skin he's been scenting. 

'Stiles, will you brush my hair please?' Lilly asks. Stiles jumps away as if he's been scalded, stumbles and Derek puts his hands on Stiles's hips to steady him and there's this amused grin on his face that has Stiles bristling. 

'Sure Baby.' Stiles turns and takes the little brush. It's pink with purple vines twirling around it, part of a princess hair kit. At first this had been awkward, brushing a four year olds hair, but Stiles had gotten used to it, like he had with everything else Lilly related. Today she wants bunches. And Stiles's bunches are badass. 

Stiles stays for dinner, then Lilly insists he put her to bed but she needs a goodnight kiss from her Daddy so they end up doing the domestic thing again, going as far as walking down the stairs, shoulders brushing. It's only when they reach the bottom that Derek speaks. 'You can. Take her trick or treating. She'll love that.' 

'Where’s her mom?' Stiles blurts. Derek looks as shocked as Stiles feels at the question and opens his mouth, and then closes it again. 'I’m sorry, I shouldn't have. I'll just be...' And he's out the door and into his jeep before it registers what happened. 

Stiles spends the next three days kicking himself and avoiding Derek, again, which also means avoiding Lilly. He's busy eying the potatoes he fully intends to peel for dinner when he hears a key in the door. Great, he'll get takeout. He pushes the potatoes back into the bag when Lilly runs into the room. 

'My Stiles!' She cries happily wrapping her arms around his legs. Derek's behind her, a smile on his face. Stiles swaps his sack of potatoes for a sack of Lilly and hoists her over his head, making aeroplane noises. She squeals and hugs him when he lets her down, resting her on his hip.

'How did you get in?' Stiles asks. She runs her hands over his face, tapping his chin before grinning happily.

'Daddy used his key silly.' Lilly explains. 'He says we're getting Chinese for dinner. I want noodles. The ones that taste like chicken.' She tells him wriggling until he sets her down. 

'Erica and Lydia are trying my patience.' Derek tells Stiles, as if it's normal for them to share this kind of thing. 'All I heard all afternoon was Halloween. They pouted at us for going out but I told them I had a date with the Stilinski's.' Derek grins moving into Stiles's personal space again and ok, wow, what's with Derek. 

Stiles feels like he needs to share something. 'Um, Isaac and Jackson are annoying me too. I think they both think that if you’re not around one of them is totally in charge of the pack.' Derek snorts and Stiles agrees. 'Of course it's Lydia.'

'Lydia would abuse the power. It's you.' Derek says. Stiles gapes at him when the front door opens. 

The Sheriff walks into the room and grins. There's a brown bag full of food that Stiles can smell under his arm. It's Chinese of course, and since when do Derek and his father communicate? 

Lilly's delighted to see her 'Grandpa' and they share stories from each other’s day while Derek watches quietly and Stiles joins in when requested. He jumps when something brushes his ankle. It's Derek, is he playing footsie with Stiles? Stiles plays it cool and moves his ankle against Derek’s. 

Derek's phone breaks the spell and Stiles sees Erica’s name on screen as Derek gets up to speak to her. He's back moments later. 'Hey is it ok if Lilly stays here for a few hours?' he asks. 

'Sure. We'll go to Dairy Queen.' The sheriff says. Derek raises an eyebrow. 'Now you know I’m the Sheriff, Derek, and my words law, so if I want to take her to DQ you can't stop me.' 

'Fine.' Derek pretend growls but he's smiling happily and Lilly’s wrapped around him like he's the man. Stiles has to admit he kind of is. 'You coming?' Derek asks Stiles which is how he finds himself in Wal-Mart, in the costume part, trying to get Jackson to not kill Isaac. Lydia's looking at the boys as if she's going to tear them apart and Erica’s just delighted to see Derek. The bitch. 

Derek diffuses the situation with a growl and a flash of red eye. Lydia still looks pissed and Derek tells Stiles to take her off. Calm her down. 

Lydia's not impressed but follows him none the less. He can't help but stop at the kids costumes though and Lydia eventually calms enough for Stiles to get her talk about the party. 

'All you need to do is make sure your outfit doesn't clash with Derek's and you’ll be fine.' Lydia says cryptically. 

Stiles turns it over in his head for a while, picking at her body language and snarky comments. He thinks that the rest of the pack has pegged Stiles as Lilly’s mom now too. 

They go trick or treating, Lilly in her little witch costume. It was homemade, courtesy of Derek and Stiles and she absolutely loves it. ‘My daddy and my Stiles made it.' She says proudly, swinging her candy bag. 

'That’s nice sweetie.' Mrs Horner says offering Stiles a little green Zombie toothbrush with his stash of candy. He gapes at her then decides he likes her thinking, guarding his toothbrush as fiercely as his chocolate mice. 

They dump it on the table when they get home to where Derek is waiting with the Sheriff, where they hunt for the stuff they like. 'That’s Lilly's candy.' Stiles points out. ‘It’s not good for you…’

‘Ah, but she’ll share with her Grandpa eh?’ Stiles’s dad says, hauling her onto his knee. She kisses him under the chin and he wraps his arms around her protectively. 

‘Let’s go Stiles.’ Derek says, tugging him by the wrist out of his seat. Lilly kisses them both goodbye and leads her Grandpa to the living room to choose a movie to go with their candy. Derek doesn’t let go of Stiles’s wrist until they’re at his side of the car. He stops for a moment, pressing Stiles into the side of the car and just looking down at him, his eyes hot. 

‘What?’ Stiles breathes. Derek’s face is only inches from his, his thumb still over Stiles’s pulse, pressing so hard Stiles’s head feels like its thumping. He parts his lips more, rises to his toes and lets his breath mingle with Derek’s for a second. 

He’s about to be kissed, he’s sure of it, leaning closer and closer to Derek until he can feel the heat coming off his face, until his eyes cross and Derek’s face blurs out. And then, just like that, he’s being hauled close to Derek’s body and Derek’s stepped away from the car. Stiles is staring out the windshield before he realises what’s just happened, Derek driving with one hand resting on top of the steering wheel and the other resting on his lap. And he honestly doesn’t remember getting in.


	7. Chapter 7

They pull up in front of Derek’s house. The front door is open with light and music flooding out, laughter drawing them inside. Derek doesn’t mention what happened outside the house, just guides Stiles inside and disappears upstairs for a moment. Scott high fives him and presses a beer into his hand and they watch Isaac breakdance on the living room floor. ‘Is he even drunk yet?’ Stiles whispers. Isaac is dressed as Spiderman and Stiles has to admit he looks damn good. 

‘Of course he is.’ Jackson slaps Stiles on the back, knocking him into the middle of Isaac’s breakdancing. Isaac falls over, catching Stiles and they tumble around the floor. Erica snorts when they land at her feet and Stiles sees tiny red panties that are hardly there. Erica crouches down, curling a long blond strand of hair behind her ear. She’s dressed in what looks like spider webs across her red dress. Stiles wonders how she walks with those shoes on. Sometimes girls confuse the hell out of him. 

‘Like what you see?’ She whispers. Stiles can’t help but nod enthusiastically. ‘Well you’re not the one dragging them off me with their teeth tonight are you?’ She says. Isaac snorts and Lydia hauls him to his feet, giving Erica the stink eye for…being mean to Stiles? 

‘Are you Loki?’ Isaac asks, ignoring Erica’s presence. 

‘Yes!’ Stiles says. ‘My head dress fell off twice and it wouldn’t fit into Derek’s car but…you like?’ He asks with a grin. 

‘You look awesome.’ Allison says. She’s dressed as Wonder Woman, her legs going on forever. It amuses Stiles that Scott’s torn between Wonder Woman Allison and Superman Danny. 

Derek hops the last few feet of the stairs and drags Stiles away from Lydia, giving her the stink eye. He hooks an arm around Stiles’s neck and they head to the kitchen. There are teenagers Stiles recognises from school moving out of their way, and Derek ignores the red cups and beer kegs. Stiles wonders just what Erica and Lydia had to do to convince Derek to have this party, then pushes the answers out of his head. He’s doesn’t want to know. Derek steps outside, his cape fluttering slightly and Stiles finally realises that Derek’s dressed as Thor. 

It’s nippy outside and Stiles is glad of Derek’s body heat as he leads him into the edge of the forest. Stiles follows after him, managing not to trip, until the lights of the house and party are just visible. ‘I want to thank you.’ Derek says, his arm slipping from Stiles’s neck and looping around his waist, pulling him against Derek’s body. 

‘Thank me, for, for what?’ Stiles asks. They’re close again. Too close. Stiles can feel Derek’s breath on his lips. 

‘Lilly loves you; you’re so special to her. I’ve never seen her more attached to anyone ever. I want to know that if something ever happens to me that…’ Derek trails off, looking into the trees. Stiles swallows but Derek’s words cut off his protest. ‘Laura liked to tease me, that as Alpha she’d have to wait until her pack was strong to breed and I was her breeding tool. When we were out she would say ‘what about her baby brother?’ and I would glare and scowl and frighten them off, but one day this girl caught my eye. She was pretty, curly brown hair, brown eyes, captivating smile. Her name was Louise, and she was an Alpha’s daughter. He was a bit grumpy but a good guy. We mated, and Lilly was born literally forty weeks later, like it was meant to be. When Lilly was two Louise’s father was killed by hunters. Louise wanted to chase them, to leave us. I warned her that if she left us she may not get us back.’

‘She just left?’ Stiles asked.

‘She became Alpha of her pack, after she killed her brother. He led the hunters to her father.’ Derek said. 

‘Why are you telling me this?’ Stiles asks.

‘So you know what you’re getting yourself into.’ Derek says and then he’s kissing Stiles, his hands on Stiles’s face, his mouth hot on Stiles’s. Stiles twines his fingers into Derek’s hair, holding him close as he nips his lips. Derek deeps in and it’s filthy and wet and Stiles is melting against him. Derek steps them back into a tree, using it to hold Stiles up. 

‘Wow.’ He says when Derek pulls away. ‘What ah, what was that for?’

‘If you say you don’t want it, you don’t want us, I wanted to kiss you, just this once.’ Derek whispers, his lips still against Stiles’s. ‘I’m selfish, for falling for you, for falling in love with you, for wanting you like this, for wanting you with us when you have your life ahead of you.’

‘I want this. This is my life. You are my life, and Lilly and my dad, and I can work my life around you.’ Stiles says.

‘You’re seventeen.’ Derek points out. 

‘I am, I’ll be eighteen soon. I can’t promise I won’t be an idiot, and get into as much trouble as Lilly but Derek, I want this. I need this, Lilly grounds me, you ground me.’ Stiles says, his hands drifting up Derek’s arms to his shoulders, to his neck pulling him close for another kiss. Derek leans against him, pressing him into the tree. Stiles can feel the bark biting into his skin, Derek’s hands heavy on his hips.

‘What about your future? School, collage, career?’ Derek asks. He’s looking at Stiles like he wants to absorb him.

‘Do you honestly think I’m leaving my dad? ‘Cause I’m not, dude can’t eat healthy to save his life. I’ve got it all planned out. It’s a fifty minute drive to the closest collage; I’ll attend there until I figure out what to do with my life.’ Stiles says. Derek smiles at him and dips in for another kiss. 

‘Like I say, I don’t want to hold you back.’ Derek whispers, his lips making their way over Stiles’s chin, biting it before licking his throat. Stiles tries to nod, and then shake his head, but Derek has him just the way he wants him. His stubble is rough against the delicate skin of Stiles’s throat and Stiles knows he’ll have burn in the morning but he doesn’t care, he wants more of this. Derek sucks a hickey into his neck before nosing it affectionately, before moving back to kiss Stiles on the lips. 

Derek conveniently waits until Stiles is hard in his pants before deciding to walk back home. Derek’s arm is around Stiles’s shoulders, and Stiles has his fingers hooked in Derek’s belt loops. ‘What ah…what about Erica?’ Stiles asks, stumbling over a root. Derek rights him, pulling him close, pressing his lips to Stiles’s temple. 

‘What about Erica?’ Derek asks gruff as ever. His fingers are almost bruising on Stiles’s waist. 

‘Isn’t she…into you?’ Stiles asks, stumbling again because Derek’s stopped and turned towards him.

‘No, she’s not.’ Derek says with a smile.

‘Then why hang out so much?’ Stiles whispers, gnawing his bottom lip. 

‘She and Lydia were asking me for permission to date, and I was explaining about the complications that them not getting on would create in a pack. I needed them to understand.’ Derek says, starting to walk again.

‘Oh.’ Stiles says, the pieces falling together. ‘Oh!’

‘They just want to experiment.’ Derek explains and yeah, telling a seventeen year old boy who’s trying to get rid of a boner that two girls are experimenting is not the wisest thing to do. 

They’re back at the house in no time, mingling through the throng of teenagers that have taken over Derek’s home. Stiles sways his hips to the music, dragging Derek towards the living room where Jackson is slowly stripping his clothes and flinging them around the room while dancing on the coffee table. Derek leans against the wall, and Stiles stands in front of him, laughing and dancing at his pack mate. Boyd hands him and Derek a cup each and disappears around the corner. Allison joins Jackson on the coffee table, much to a lot of the boy’s delight but it’s only to help him with the belt that’s confusing his alcohol fogged mind. 

In the kitchen Danny and Lydia are having a shot competition while a bunch of guys try to get off with Erica. ‘You know you look damn cute in that outfit.’ Curtis Reid tells him. Stiles opens his mouth to say something but Derek’s wrapped around him from behind, one big possessive arm around Stiles’s middle. 

‘He does.’ Derek says over Stiles’s shoulder. ‘But you look like an arse.’ 

‘Derek!’ Stiles scolds but Curtis is slinking away and Derek’s dragging Stiles backwards. Derek’s banned anyone from going upstairs, but he wastes no time taking Stiles that way. ‘Just to talk.’ He explains as he leads Stiles into his bedroom.

Apparently talking is now rubbing hips together and pressing lips together, and Stiles is pissed that no one sent him the memo, and then Derek’s scenting his neck and licking him and Stiles can feel his eyes roll in his head. He wants this, he wants them. 

Derek leads Stiles to one of the arm chairs that sits in the corner of the room. This is where Derek likes to read, Stiles has seen him sit here late at night when he makes his bathroom journeys with the lamp on. Derek kicks his boots off and encourages Stiles to do the same before he sits down, dragging Stiles into his lap and running his thumbs under Stiles’s shirt. ‘This is some funny talking.’ Stiles says between kisses. Derek snorts and kisses him again but he pulls away, with Stiles in his lap. 

‘You need to finish high school before we get serious Stiles.’ Derek says, but it sounds like the words are more for Derek’s benefit than Stiles’s. Like he needs to believe it.

‘Ok.’ Stiles agrees. He wants Derek to stop talking so he can kiss him again, and he’s hoping to maybe get off. He grinds his hips into Derek’s and pulls away, pushing Derek back and kissing along his jaw. Derek relaxes, and lets Stiles take control of the making out. He sucks the join between Derek’s neck and shoulder, scraping his nails down Derek’s hard belly and tasting his collarbone. Somehow, with capes and costumes on, they manage to strip, while Stiles is still in his lap. Stiles sits back and looks down, Derek’s lips are red and the bruises on his neck are fading slowly, so Stiles reapplies them generously, grinding his bulge against Derek’s. 

Later, when they’re totally naked, and Stiles is worried about blood flow to his brain, Derek hauls Stiles upright, forcing him to brace on the back of the chair, and takes the head of Stiles’s dick into his mouth. He licks, and sucks, his head moving slowly along Stiles’s length, taking his time and enjoying the feeling. Stiles finds himself doubled over, coming in record time. Derek swallows everything, and then positions himself so the head of his dick is at Stiles’s ass. Stiles panics for a moment, he doesn’t know much about this thing, but he knows he needs preparation, but Derek’s got an arm around Stiles’s waist and he’s jerking his dick, pushing it between Stiles’s ass cheeks, the head catching on Stiles’s hole.

Derek comes with a growl, his seed landing on Stiles’s ass. He smears it around with his fingers and his dick, his hands drifting all over Stiles’s butt and lower back. Derek slumps into the chair, the moonlight catching his face. ‘Stiles you do realise that if we get together then I’m going to be a possessive bastard, I’ve wanted you for a long time, thought it was just lust, but it was when I saw how good you were with Lilly that I started to have feelings for you, and I realised that these feelings weren’t new. They’ve been there all along.’

‘What if we mess this up?’ Stiles asks. He’s dying to get off Derek’s lap and hide his body, but Derek’s hands are all over him and he has no intention of letting him away anytime soon. 

‘We will, of that I have no doubt. We’ll do stupid things and we’ll fight and argue, but that’s what couples do. They live and they fix mistakes and they’re happy. We’ll be happy together, you and I, and our daughter. And someday we’ll add to our family, watch it grow. Our cubs will grow with the pack, they’ll bite and fight and play, and they’ll love.’ Derek says. 

‘That sounds perfect.’ Stiles whispers. He can picture it now, Derek glaring at Lilly for wearing a short skirt to school, but in his head she’s done it because her little brothers report card isn’t what they expected, while Stiles makes breakfast and the pack are there with their kids. And his dad’s retired now, become a full time grandpa and he loves it and…

‘Yes, it’ll be like that someday.’ Derek says. ‘Why don’t we shower and I’ll take you back to the party.’ 

Stiles buries his face in Derek’s shoulder, trying to push himself closer to Derek’s body, his mouth licking at Derek’s chest. ‘Or I could get you in bed and touch all those places I’ve always wanted to.’ Stiles says.

‘Can easily be done in a shower.’ Derek points out. Stiles grins and climbs to his feet, dragging Derek with him, into the bathroom and into the massive shower. Stiles can hear the music pumping downstairs before it’s drowned out by the shower and the blood pumping through his ears.


	8. Chapter 8

Stiles wakes in a cocoon of warmth. There’s something heavy across his legs, and across his waist and he soon realises Derek’s using his body as a blanket. A naked and very aroused blanket. Stiles decides that Derek is his favourite blanket. Somehow Stiles manages to convince Derek to roll over, roll onto his back and relax for a little while. Stiles uses his time to freely explore Derek’s body, running his fingers over relaxed muscles. They’re both naked, and Stiles can’t help but peek at Derek’s half hard cock. He slides lower, using his fingers as guides, feeling the planes of Derek’s body, different textures under his fingers. 

He’s level with Derek’s belly when his fingers find the wiry hair on his groin. Stiles sucks his bottom lip into his mouth, runs his tongue over plump flesh, and leans forward. His fingers touch the base of Derek’s cock and he leans closer. He’s never been so close to a dick before, and he takes his time exploring, using his fingers first, and then his tongue. When Derek jerks and bites back a moan Stiles has to wonder how long he’s been awake for. Derek’s and comes to rest on the back of Stiles’s neck, his thumb rubbing circles in the skin. He isn’t forcing it, he’s letting Stiles explore, as much as it must be killing him, and Stiles is grateful. 

When he takes the head of Derek’s cock into his mouth, it’s like nothing he’s ever experienced before. He licks and sucks, using his hand to cover the rest of Derek’s shaft and takes as much as he can into his mouth. He chances a look up the bed and Derek looks wrecked, his eyes are glued to Stiles, his hair is a mess and he’s got this savage desire rolling off him. 

He thinks back to their agreement about taking it slow and he knows that will never happen. He’ll try, and Derek will try, but this is amazing. Not the sex, the companionship. The togetherness. Derek’s hips jerk, bringing Stiles back to the moment and he swallows around what he can get into his throat. Derek grunts and suddenly his mouth is filled with Derek’s spunk. Stiles swallows what he can but he can’t help the trickle out the corner of his mouth. By the time Derek’s hauled him up the bed he’s blushing furiously, cheeks alight as Derek licks his mouth clean. 

Derek reaches between them, wrapping his warm hand around Stiles’s dick. It only takes a few tugs before Stiles is coming all over Derek’s body. Derek takes Stiles’s hand and smears it through the mess. It takes Stiles a moment to realise that Derek wants him to rub his come into Derek’s skin. Stiles’s cock jerks at the idea, but it’s too soon to get hard again. He kisses Derek on the mouth, and Derek rolls them, sheets tangling around their legs. ‘Good morning.’ Derek says with a soft smile, kissing the breath out of Stiles’s body. 

Stiles decides that good morning kisses are his favourite type of kisses.

XXX

Most of the pack is hung-over. Stiles can’t help but make loud noises around Boyd, and offer Isaac breakfast. They both glare at him like he’s a slug on their paw, and go back to brooding like the good beta werewolves they are. Clearly Derek’s doing something right. Derek’s a cuddle monster, now that’s he’s had Stiles in his bed for one night. He won’t let go of Stiles when Stiles tries to tidy the house. He’s touching him at every opportunity, brushing his lips against Stiles’s hair. He’s still grumpy and sour but he’s tentative to Stiles, even going as far as to cage him against the sink and look over Stiles’s shoulder as Stiles washes the dishes. 

‘You could help.’ Stiles suggests as Derek runs his hands along Stiles’s belly.

‘Nah. I’d rather watch.’ Derek mutters, his stubble rubbing against Stiles’s neck. Stiles is sure he’s going to have stubble burn from cuddling, never mind sex, but then he considers that they didn’t really have sex, it was just…do orgasms make it sex. Has Stiles had sex with his hand for the past few years…does that mean he’s not a virgin? ‘What are you thinking about?’ Derek’s breath ghosts over his ear.

‘Soap suds.’ Stiles says instantly because that’s what he sees.

‘Liar.’ Derek says, pushing away and disappearing through the door, leaving Stiles with a scrubbing sponge and a hard on pressed into the counter.

XXX

His dad arrives with Lilly well after lunch. The house is spotless, and Stiles has been rewarded for his mammoth clean-up efforts with a cuddle on the couch. It’s actually more of a snooze, using Derek’s body as pillow and mattress, but no one’s complaining. Derek hooks his arms around Stiles’s waist and whispers ‘Lilly’s home’. He sounds like a kid on Christmas morning; his face has changed completely, like the little girl is some sort of peace bringer to Derek’s life. Stiles supposes she is, she represents a new birth of what Derek lost before. A family. 

Stiles tries to move, to sit up but Derek’s got his iron arm on again and tells him to quit squirming and pretend he’s asleep. Stiles wants to point out that Lilly’s a werewolf but he goes along with Derek’s plan when the front door opens. ‘Hello? Anybody home? I’m here!’ She calls padding into the room. ‘There you two are.’ She says happily pulling Derek’s arm from around Stiles to help her better climb onto his chest. It’s awkward for a second, until Stiles half falls between the back of the couch and Derek’s side. He chances a peek through his eyelashes. Lilly’s using her hands as pillows, resting her chin on them as she regards them. ‘You’re not really asleep Daddy, you’re just pretending.’

‘You know me too well Princess.’ Derek opens his eyes, his shining warm eyes and he takes both of them in. Stiles feels like he’s in some special club, the Happy Derek Club which Lilly is clearly president of. Stiles wonders what rank he has before a polite cough sounds behind him. Whipping around Stiles sees his dad shifting awkwardly. 

‘Hi Dad.’ Stiles says sitting up. Lilly ignores her father’s comfort in order to rise to her knees on Derek’s chest. Derek grunts but lets her use him as a cushion. 

‘Hey Son, Derek.’ 

‘Sheriff.’ Derek pants out. 

‘I was intending to take you boys to lunch, if you thought you could keep it down…’ The Sheriff says.

‘Oh I didn’t get drunk last night dad, Derek distracted me…’ Stiles trails off with an embarrassed flush climbing over his skin. Lilly giggles to herself, although Stiles is sure she has no clue what’s going on here. 

‘Sounds good.’ Derek grunts again. ‘You two are heavy.’

Lilly throws herself on top of him and wraps her arms around his neck, kissing his face until he’s straining, trying to wiggle away from her. ‘You love us both.’ She tells her Daddy with a smile then hops off him and onto the floor. 

‘Come on you three, before I change my mind.’ Stiles’s dad warns. Lilly giggles, and abandons them for her new best friend.

XXX

Isaac and Stiles are busy arguing about the benefits of a fight between Catwoman and Wonder Woman when they pull into Derek’s drive later in the week. Isaac stops the argument first, looking towards the porch swing. Derek’s sitting in the middle, with Erica curled around him and Lilly on her lap. Stiles feels a jolt in his chest. He thought they were over this, and he understands that an Alpha has to protect his pack, but this looks plain rude. He sticks his chin in the air and gets out of the jeep behind Isaac who’s hurrying towards them. 

‘What’s wrong?’ Isaac asks kneeling in front of Erica, a hand on her knee. She just presses herself closer to Derek who rests a chin on top of her head. 

‘Her Grandpa was sick and he went to heaven this morning.’ Lilly tells Isaac. Stiles feels like a git for being jealous of Erica getting comfort from her Alpha. He doesn’t say anything, just runs his hand up her leg. ‘Don’t worry Erica, he’s pack, so Auntie Laura will find him and take care of him.’ She whispers. Derek makes a sound in his throat, and Stiles has to swallow his own whimper. He reaches for her and extracts her out of their arms. 

‘Hey little girl.’ He says resting her on his hip. ‘How about we go make some cookies for a while huh?’ 

Lilly looks uncertain, staring between the swing seat and Stiles. ‘Go on Sweetheart, Stiles is your pack, this is my one.’ Derek tells her shooting Stiles a grateful look. 

‘Daddy, don’t be silly, we’re all one pack.’ She scolds. 

‘So we are.’ Stiles says. ‘And pack makes cookies for the rest of the pack, so we can all cuddle together and enjoy gooey goodness huh?’

‘Ok.’ Lilly concedes. Boyd and Scott are pulling up and tumbling out, concerned frowns on their faces as they approach the porch and Stiles doesn’t hang about to watch them lament over Erica’s grandpa. He’s sorry for her loss, but right now his priority is Lilly, who’s seen enough loss at her age, so he escapes to the kitchen with her and starts on the cookies. 

Erica and Boyd go to her house at tea time, and Stiles stays to feed the masses. His dad’s gone on a date with Melissa McCall of all people so he’s left feeding Scott too. Lilly and Isaac are in the back yard in the dying light, chasing each other around the furniture when Derek wraps his arms around Stiles and presses his face into Stiles’s neck. ‘What you did today.’ He says and Stiles has to get his Derek Translator warmed up for a second before he realises this is Derek’s way of saying thank you.

‘I just, I want to protect Lilly as much as I possibly can.’ Stiles says. Derek holds him tighter if possible and buries his face in Stiles’s neck. He can feel Derek’s stubble burning him but he doesn’t care. He leans forward giving Derek more space to seek comfort. ‘She’s…special.’

‘She is special.’ Derek whispers against Stiles. ‘She makes me see life in a different light. And you, you’re good with her.’

‘She’s good with me.’ Stiles amends. Derek snorts and turns Stiles to kiss his lips. 

‘I’ve made a decision, about our future, about Lilly’s future.’ Derek says heavily. Stiles wonders if, for a second, Derek is going to dump him, if he’s decided that Stiles isn’t worth the hassle and it’s been a fun few days but see you around. ‘I’ve talked to your dad about it and, we think, that if anything happens to me, that he should be Lilly’s legal guardian, until you turn eighteen.’

‘Huh?’ Stiles asks dumbly. 

‘You heard me. I want my daughter to have the best in life, so, if I die tonight, then she comes to you, to your dad until you turn eighteen, which isn’t that far away. There’s a substantial trust fund already created for her, and I have another one for you. If something were to happen, then there’s enough money to take care of the pack, this house, but most importantly, you and my daughter. My only stipulation is that you two live in this house, and you keep the Hale name going, be it you have a kid and give them the surname Hale, or Lilly one day has a kid and she lets them keep her family name. That’s it.’ Derek presses close to Stiles and Stiles feels his heart hammer inside his chest. He doesn’t want anything to happen to Derek, he doesn’t want to be left alone with this little girl, with the pack to take care of. He wants Derek here, more than he ever knew before. 

‘Are you telling me your sick or something?’ Stiles asks. 

‘God no, I’m fit, and healthy, and I’m pretty sure we’re relatively safe but I need to know that my family has a secure future. I wouldn’t be standing here today, in this rebuilt house, with you, if it weren’t for my parents planning for the worst as well as the best.’ Derek says. A squeal from outside gets their attention, Isaac has Lilly on the ground, her t-shirt pulled up and is blowing raspberries on her tummy. Stiles laughs then pulls away from Derek to pay attention to the massive pot of chili he’s making. There’s a casserole in the oven for Erica’s family, that he knows Derek will drop over later, and a pan of rice waiting to boil as well. 

Derek disappears back into the house and Stiles finishes dinner, setting the table with Danny’s help and soon they’re all piled around it, eating and laughing. Derek sits quietly beside Stiles, his leg pressed against Stiles, his hand drifting from Stiles’s arm to his fingers, then down to his thigh. Derek leaves after dinner with the casserole and returns an hour and a half later. Stiles has just put Lilly to bed and is tidying around the house waiting for Derek. He knows he can leave anytime, Isaac’s in his room with the door open watching something on his laptop, but he can’t leave without saying goodbye to Derek. 

He’s on the porch when Derek pulls in, red hoodie pulled tight around his body. ‘I wish you didn’t have to go home.’ Derek says by way of greeting. Stiles steps closer to his warmth and winds his arms around Derek’s body. ‘This house feels a bit emptier without you.’

‘You have Lilly and Isaac for company.’ Stiles says rising on his toes to nip at Derek’s bottom lip. 

‘Your company is slightly more…pleasurable, especially in my bed.’ Derek whispers softly against Stiles ear. His hot breath tickles and Stiles shivers, though it’s more desire than cold now. 

‘I have to go.’ He says stepping away, because if he doesn’t go now he’ll be here all night. Derek pouts but releases him. Stiles doesn’t bother kissing him goodbye, just backs down the steps and slinks into his jeep. 

His dad’s at the kitchen table when he gets home, his glasses perched on his nose reading a novel of all things. Stiles slumps into the chair opposite him and sets the Tupperware container of chili down in front to him. ‘Did Derek make this?’ His dad asks eagerly.

‘No I did. Derek supervised.’ Stiles says. His dad grunts disappointedly and Stiles mocks hurt. ‘I was thinking, about your nightshift…’

‘I’m surprised you’re even talking to me about it.’ His dad says. Stiles stares at him for a second. ‘It’s a good idea; I’ve always hated leaving you alone.’

‘Oh. Ok then. Yes, that’s a good idea, thanks Dad.’ Stiles says. 

‘I mean you’ll be moving in with him soon anyway, leaving your poor old dad all alone…’ The sheriff teases. Stiles glares at him but his dad waves him away. ‘I had a good date by the way son. We even managed to get a bit of necking done outside her house.’

‘No!’ Stiles screams covering his ears. ‘Why, why would you do that to me Dad, why?’ Stiles begs but his dad just laughs like the evil man he is. 

Sighing Stiles takes himself upstairs and grabs a backpack, putting extra shorts, socks and shirts in it. By the time he’s deemed he has enough clothes to last him a weekend, he’s filled duffel too, and really it looks more like a week. He has a quick shower, and slides into bed, flicking the light out. He lies on his back staring at the ceiling for a moment wondering what Derek’s doing, before yawning and rolling over, letting sleep take his body for a while. He can plot tomorrow.


	9. Chapter 9

Stiles woke when the lights on Derek’s digital alarm clock read 2:47, with Derek’s body pressed against his back, a heavy arm wrapped around his waist, fingers placed in the middle of Stiles’s chest, and again at 4:13, to the feeling of warm breath on the back of his neck, so at 6:45 when Derek starts to wake Stiles was in that groggy state of not enough sleep. He lets out a heavy sigh as Derek rolls him onto his back and presses a kiss against his throat. ‘What’s wrong?’ He asks resting his chin on Stiles’s shoulder.

‘Didn’t sleep great.’ Stiles says around a yawn rolling onto his back. Derek smiles softly, and Stiles heart adds a few extra beats at the sight and then he’s leaning forward, kissing Stiles on the lips and rising out of bed.

‘I’m going for a run in the forest with Boyd and Jackson,’ He says, ‘and Isaac if I can wake him. You should try going back to sleep.’ Derek suggests.

Stiles made a face. ‘I don’t think I’ll be able to.’ Derek smirks at him and disappears from the room, returning a few minutes later with an armful of baby werewolf. Lilly’s making a growly noise, and Stiles knows how she feels. Derek tucks her in beside Stiles, adds Geezer to the mix, and presses a kiss to Lilly’s head and Stiles’s cheek. He hears Derek open Isaac’s door to invite him for a run and he tries to listen for a reply and promptly falls asleep in the middle of another yawn, his arms wrapped around Lilly stealing her warmth.

When he wakes later there’s a heat at his back, and he finds Isaac’s body curled around his, long limps tangled through Stiles. Lilly’s asleep in his arms, her little nose twitching from time to time as she growls softly in her sleep. The rest of the house is quiet but it’s after nine am, and Stiles knows that Lilly will never sleep tonight. Derek doesn’t ever seem to care about bedtimes, she has no strict rules, he just puts her into her princess haven when she’s falling asleep. He fully intends to wake Lilly, except, she’s waking him, tickling his nose with her hair.

‘Wakey wakey Stiles.’ She whispers. Isaac mutters something behind him and shifts. ‘I have a secret.’

‘You have a secret?’ Stiles asks tugging her close to kiss her hair. ‘Share all your secrets with me.’

‘I’m going to be five in two weeks.’ She says. Stiles is jolted out of his doze by her words, how did he not know about her birthday. He needs to start gift hunting now!

‘Wow, that’s an awesome secret.’ He says. Lilly makes a tiny noise in her throat.

‘That’s not my secret.’ She tells him as if he should know this. ‘Daddy’s birthday is the same day.’ She says, with the sly air of someone who’d been told not to share this information.

‘Really?’ Stiles asks and suddenly he’s freaking out because what does he get his boyfriend and his boyfriends daughter for their birthday. And a party, they need a party, with hats and balloons, and a cake. Stiles needs to find a cake. An awesome cake that will make Lilly squeal so loud the wolves go into hiding!

‘Really and we’re going to have a joint party.’ She tells him. ‘I want a Pirate and Princess party. Please Stiles, please.’

‘Of course, whatever you want.’ Stiles tells her already thinking about mixing pink and black streamers to pin up in the kitchen.

‘All the boys have to dress like pirates. Grandpa’s going to look awesome.’ Lilly says getting to her knees and carefully climbing off the bed. ‘I’m getting my book so you can read with me.’ Stiles stretched and untangled himself from a groggy Isaac. He loves reading with Lilly, because they usually ignore the words in favour of making up their own stories based on each picture in the book.

They read in the kitchen while Stiles organises breakfast. Isaac joined the fun, making up his own stories and helping Stiles slice fruit for their meal. Somehow Derek manages to arrive back just as coffee has brewed. He is able to pick up exactly where the story is while he steals the coffee Stiles has just poured for himself with a distracting kiss that leaves Stiles flushed and Lilly giggling. Derek lifts her from the stool she’s using and sits on it himself, holding her on his lap. ‘You’re all sweaty.’ She tells him poking his shoulder.

‘We were running in the woods, where Isaac said he’d join us in five minutes.’ Derek says glancing at Isaac. Isaac is staring carefully at the storybook.

‘I needed him Daddy.’ Lilly says in her serious voice.’ Important pack business.’ She nods sagely. Derek chuckles and kisses her head.

‘Really? What about?’ Derek asks. Boyd and Jackson come into the room, both looking ragged and tired. They sit at the kitchen table and Stiles takes pity on them, bringing them a cup of coffee each and setting some fruit on the table.

‘Secret.’ She says with a smile. Derek glances at her, then to Stiles and Isaac.

‘I’m not going to like this am I?’ He asks.

‘Nope.’ Stiles says with a smirk.

XXX

‘Tell me.’ Derek whispers sliding his mouth down Stiles’s belly, his stubble burning as it trails over sensitive skin. Stiles gasps as Derek’s tongue dips into his bellybutton.

‘Tell you what?’ He manages to force out. Derek’s mouth is at the waistband of his shorts now and he closes his eyes remembering the feeling of his cock in Derek’s mouth, wet and warm and utterly filthy as Derek sucked like a man starving.

‘What she’s up to?’ Derek breaths. It tickles Stiles, and he shivers, lifting his head to look down. There’s stubble burn on his (flimsy compared to Derek’s) abs, a bite mark under his left nipple, which Stiles is shocked is still attached to his body, because quite frankly, Derek’s mouth is like a vacuum. His legs are bare and spread wide as Derek noses down over his red shorts mouthing at the hard outline of his cock. There’s already a wet patch from pre come, but Derek makes it worse by finding the tip under his shorts, and sucking.

Stiles throws his head back into the pillow, and his hands clutch the sheets. ‘Do you really want to discuss this now?’ Stiles murmurs, swallowing.

‘Yes.’ Derek mouths at his balls in their shorts now, and they’re sopping but Stiles doesn’t care because Derek’s going to peel them off his skin soon and really touch him.

‘Oh god.’ Stiles moans when Derek lifts Stiles’s legs, pressing down hard on his thighs and licking a line over his cloth covered ass. ‘Off.’

‘Not until you tell me what she’s up to.’ Derek says. Stiles bolts into a half sitting position.

‘Don’t you think this is weird, talking about…oh fuck…’Stiles breaths out as Derek’s doing something that may actually kill Stiles.

‘Stiles.’ Derek says softly.

‘I’m not allowed.’ Stiles whines. ‘My Alpha instructed me not to.’

‘Then the shorts stay on.’ Derek mutters into the cloth, pressing his tongue against Stiles’s hole, the rough wet fabric a tease between them.

‘Derek please be reasonable.’ Stiles breath is coming in short harsh pants.

‘No.’ Derek says pressing a warm hand over his cock again, moving with determination, his grip strong over the wet cloth.

‘Oh, Derek, I’m going to…’ Stiles warns.

‘Go right ahead.’ Derek’s breath is hot against the cool cloth and Stiles practically yelps as his orgasm shudders through his bones, adding to the mess in his shorts. His dick is sensitive but the sight of Derek trying to suck his come out through the material has it twitching again.

Derek moves, kneeling above Stiles, his cock in his hand as he jerks himself, only a few strokes until he’s coming all over Stiles’s chest and throat. Derek rubs the head of his cock through the mess, then uses his fingers to blend it in to Stiles’s skin. He bends and licks into Stiles’s mouth, whispering ‘mine’ against his lips like some sort of half crazed mantra.

‘Yours.’ Stiles agrees reaching up to touch Derek’s hip, forgetting the state he’s in for just a second.

XXX

Stiles takes over party planning, and Derek ups his campaign to find out what’s going on between his daughter and his mate. Stiles has to resort to dirty tactics like sharing shopping trips with Erica and Lydia at one in the morning in Target, hunting the internet, then replacing the browser history with porn after he clears it, and borrowing Lilly’s favourite book, The Pirate and The Princess so he can use it as a party theme and avoiding Derek in general.

The cake he orders is amazing, and costs him a small fortune, but it’s worth it. There’s a pirate ship with a princess on it, and Stiles may be in love with it. The detail is amazing, the planks of the ship are visible, there’s a rainbow coloured octopus painted as if he’s beneath the ocean looking up at the ship, and the skull and crossbones on the pirate flag is pink. The princess is wearing an extravagant dress and smiling while the pirate behind her, complete with wooden peg for a leg, is scowling towards her.

There are party hats and costumes, tiaras for the girls and eye patches for the boys. Streamers wait in their packaging to be wound all around the house and Stiles even made up party bags for everyone. There’s finger food, sausages, sandwiches, chicken wings and spicy potato wedges and Lilly’s favourite popcorn chicken that Stiles made himself using his moms recipe. He woke at four to start everything and he has a feeling he’ll be in bed before Lilly tonight.

The morning of their birthday he has Jackson distract them so Stiles, Isaac, Lydia and Erica can decorate the house. Allison isn’t keen on helping and Stiles can’t understand why, he’s busy pondering this when they finally arrive back. Everybody important to both Derek and Lilly are waiting in the kitchen.

‘Surprise!’ They call out. Lilly squeals, covering her face for a second before darting at Stiles and practically bowling him over. Stiles lifts her into his arms and shows her the long decorated table, cake and big pile of presents. Derek’s scowling beside them and Stiles reaches out a hand to squeeze his wrist. He counts it as a win when Derek doesn’t pull away or threaten to rip his throat out.

Princess Lilly takes her place at the head of the table after she’s changed into a perfect dress and had Lydia coo over hair and a tiny bit of blusher that had Derek growling low in his throat. ‘It’s just for fun Derek.’ Lydia says softly. Stiles tries to distract him with calming touches and it works, Derek winds his arms around Stiles, resting his chin on Stiles’s shoulder as he watches Isaac pretend to be a pirate to Lilly’s princess.

Stiles bites his lip and slips his hand into his pocket. He's woven a bracelet himself, carefully making sure each strip of leather was bathed in either his or Derek's scent, blending one with Lilly's scent through it. He had wrapped it in tissue and kept it in his pocket but now seems like the perfect time to give it to his mate.

Derek fingers each strand, touching it to his nose then holding it out to Stiles along with his wrist and an expectant smile on his face. Stiles ties it off and it feels like some sort of milestone for them, significant.

‘You’re perfect you know.’ Derek says as the Sheriff appears with a massive box of his own and an eye patch. Stiles allows him to eat what he wants for the day, it’s only fair after all the trauma he went through trying to choose between a baby pink and a hot pink princess dress.

‘I’m only doing this for Lilly.’ Stiles can feel the flush rising up his neck. Derek presses his nose into Stiles’s cheek and the Sheriff raises an eyebrow at them. Stiles doesn’t have the heart to pull away because Derek’s so happy and content, he doesn’t want to ruin that.

‘It’s because you’re doing this for Lilly.’ Derek explains. Stiles flushes again but Lilly’s starting to open her gifts and Stiles wants to watch because no one in the pack would tell him what they got her.

The first is from Jackson and Stiles beams at the massive teddy bear, lilac, with a deep purple bow around his neck. It’s soft to touch and hand crafted, naturally expensive, but it’s the name Lilly, stitched into the bear’s foot that makes it personal. Even Lydia looks shocked, showing she had no hand in the choosing of the gift. Jackson looks almost embarrassed as Lilly climbs across the table to hug and kiss him. ‘You’re in my pack now too.’ She decides. Jackson flushes but hugs her delicately, then scowls when he notices Stiles watching them.

There’s an art kit from Boyd, an e-learning pink computer from Danny. Scott presents Lilly with a massive rubber duck for the bath tub complete with baby ducks hidden on her back. There’s a plain wooden box with a lid from Isaac that confuses her for a second before she opens it to find paint, diamonds and stickers to decorate it. There’s also a bracelet inside with an L hanging from it that Lilly insists Isaac put on for her.

The girls have got her clothes and shoes, and clips for her hair and Stiles is secretly delighted to hear her planning a girly night with Lydia because having Lydia as a mentor will only make Lilly more bamf!

It’s later in the evening when Lilly turns to her more personal presents, Stiles and his dad got her a train set, a village scene with chunky figures and a pink engine that she adores and insists on putting in her downstairs playroom. Derek’s got a seesaw to go with her swing set outside which he promises Lilly she can use tomorrow. Stiles snuggles into his side while Allison sets a cup of coffee down in front of Derek, then adds another one for the sheriff. Stiles knows he’s not allowed coffee this late in the evening but then suddenly realises his ADHD has calmed down a lot in Lilly’s presence.

‘What’s that?’ Lilly asks tilting her head to the side.

‘It’s a Daddy drink.’ Derek tells her with a smile on his face. He’s been smiling a lot today.

‘Can I taste it?’ She asks looking from her own juice to Derek’s coffee.

‘You won’t like it.’ Derek warns her. ‘It’s hot.’

‘Please.’ She begs. Derek sighs and Stiles knows Lilly well enough to know she’ll torture Derek until she gets what she wants. Its better letting her discover she doesn’t like it rather than bickering with her.

Derek passes the cup to her and she’s about to take a sip when Allison screams ‘No!’ She reaches out batting the cup out of Lilly’s hands. It spills as Lilly scrambles into Stiles’s lap in fright, and the burning liquid seeps into the table. The coffee’s moving fast and reaches Scott’s hand before he has a chance to move it and suddenly he’s screaming, the side of his hand blistering immediately before the skin practically melts away. Stiles stands, stepping backwards while Allison covers her mouth with her hands.

‘What the hell?’ Derek snarls standing and moving in front of Lilly. Allison turns and flees the house, and it’s only Scott and Lilly’s distress that stop Derek from leaving. Danny’s already calling Deaton while the sheriff cleans the remaining liquid away.

Deaton arrives in record time, while Stiles tries to calm a frantic Lilly, while helping to keep Derek’s temper in check. Derek hovers around his pack, herding them inside and asking them all to stay the night. ‘That will heal quicker with the whole pack around.’ Deaton explains but Scott looks listless while Danny wraps an arm around him and cuddles him close. There’s a massive bandage on his hand, and he’s keeping it close to his chest.

‘Wow, you hear that Lilly, a sleepover!’ Stiles says. Lilly cracks a small smile.

‘Yeah.’ She whispers.

‘Why don’t you take Boyd and Lydia with you to find pillows and blankets so we can make a nest and I’ll have a quick chat with Derek ok baby girl?’ Stiles suggests. Putting Lilly in charge of something brightens her up and she bosses Lydia and Boyd upstairs. Stiles tugs Derek by the sleeve to the porch where they have some privacy.

‘That was supposed to be for me.’ Derek explains to Stiles. ‘That was meant to kill me.’

‘I know.’ Stiles says wrapping himself around Derek.

‘It could have killed her.’ Derek adds. ‘My baby, she…’

‘Hush, don’t think about that Derek. Don’t. We’ll talk about this later, but right now your pack needs you to be calm, to take control.’Stiles pleads. Derek nods against him.

‘A good Alpha’s mate takes control when the Alpha can’t for some reason. You proved you’re more than capable, in everything you’ve don’t today.’ Derek tells Stiles. The door opens and the Sheriff steps onto the porch. He looks perturbed.

‘I take it that was an assassination attempt.’ He says raising his chin.

‘Yes.’ Derek says softly and Stiles buries his face in the shoulder of Derek’s grey Henley.

‘Argents?’ He asks again. Derek nods to him and Stiles pulls away, looking from Derek to his dad.

‘I ah, I don’t know the werewolf protocol for this type of thing son but do you mind letting me deal with it? I am sheriff after all and this does fall underneath my jurisdiction.’ The Sheriff says. Stiles snorts but Derek’s not looking away from his father.

‘You would do that for me?’ Derek asks. His voice is soft and awe filled.

‘You love my son. Of course I would.’ The Sheriff says like it’s a no brainer. ‘I love that little girl in there like she’s my own grandkid, and she wouldn’t be the child she is without you.’

‘If I die, I’ve already made a will, and, well I want you two to be responsible for her, to be her parents.’ Derek says. Stiles’s heart leaps at the clear trust Derek has for the Stilinski family. He’s looking at his feet like he’s embarrassed by his confession. Stiles ducks to kiss his lips, a quick smack then he’s hugging Derek.

‘You won’t die. Sour wolves don’t die its official.’ Stiles says.

‘I’m going to go.’ The sheriff looks embarrassed but Stiles thinks he’s as chuffed by Derek’s confession as Stiles is.

‘You’re not going to stay?’ Derek asks stepping away from Stiles and towards the sheriff.

‘It would be weird for me to bed down with a pile of teenagers don’t you think?’ He asks with a grin.

‘You’re part of us, you know, a part of my pack.’ Derek’s voice is tight. The sheriff looks at him for a moment, and they share a nod, and then he’s walking away and Stiles is winding his arms around Derek and pressing his cheek into Derek’s back now.

‘You’re ok, I’m here.’ Stiles whispers. He wonders if just for a second Derek’s going to rip his throat out, but he doesn’t, just squeezes Stiles’s forearms and turns to lead them inside to where Lilly has the living room transformed into one giant pack pillow.

'Daddy!' She cries out and he gathers her into his arms, pressing his face into her hair. His hand reaches out and grabs Stiles hauling him close.

'Mine.' Derek whispers. 'You're both mine.'

Later when everyone’s asleep curled together Stiles lies awake and realised he almost lost Derek tonight, Lilly too. Scott whimpers somewhere behind him and Stiles can hear Danny soothing the nightmares away.

Derek twitches, lost in his own dreams and Stiles hopes they're pleasant, filled with what will be, not what could have been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a villain arc going on with Allison at the minute but all is not as it seems. Don't want you guys to hate her, it'll take a few chapters but we'll find out more around what's happening in her life.


	10. Chapter 10

Stiles couldn't sleep. Around him the pack shifts and snores. Behind him Derek is like a furnace, his arms around Stiles, his hands tangled in Lilly's hair. Lilly is tight against Stiles's chest, her fingers fisted in his t-shirt. Everyone else was asleep, Stiles knew, he could hear them snoring or feel their relaxing breaths. Stiles had tried, he'd closed his eyes, took deep breaths, imagined a calm blue ocean but he couldn't get the image of Allison's terror filled eyes out his head. It was like she hadn't known what she was doing, when she served Derek, like she was fighting against herself. Stiles understood that, for years he'd fought against his ADD, only now getting a handle on it. 

Slowly, he untangles himself from Derek and Lilly, and easily pushes her into her Daddy's arms. Derek curls his arms around Lilly and buries his face in her hair, breathing deep. Stiles knows her scent will keep him distracted long enough for Stiles to do some research. He creeps into the study where Derek's laptop is sitting on the desk and boots it up. While it loads he collects one of Derek's hoodies from his bedroom and pours a glass of water, snagging some fruit to keep him entertained on his research mission. The study is cold, and Stiles doesn't want to wake any of the wolves by putting heat on so he pulls a pair of socks on and sits on the big leather chair.

He starts on Google, clicking through pages of nonsense, copying text and saving links where he needed to, opening up his trusty Evernote account where he was slowly but surely building his own beastery. It's tedious work, and he deletes as much as he saves. He's shocked when he hears someone stir in the doorway. Boyd is peering at him with sleepy eyes. 'You should go back to the pile.' He says softly. 'Lilly is having a nightmare are Derek's rocking her but I think your presence will sooth her.'

Stiles pads into the living room where sure enough Derek is rocking Lilly as she weeps. Stiles climbs carefully across Erica's body and reaches a hand out to caress Lilly's thin body, wrapping himself around her and Derek. She does settle, and Derek smiles at him, leaning across her to nuzzle his cheek. 'Where did you go?' He asks. He sounds lost, like he's as distressed as Lilly by Stiles's disappearing.

'Couldn't sleep.' Stiles explains. 'I'll talk to you later.' 

They lie like that, curled around Lilly; eyes locked together, lips curved upwards. And this morning, in this early light, Stiles knows he's one million per cent in love with Derek Hale.

XXX

'That's disgusting.' Isaac mutters as Stiles heats up leftovers from the party for lunch. 

'What is?' Stiles asks.

'Erica's watching gay lions on YouTube.' Isaac says. Stiles raises an eyebrow. 'I mean watching it, it's like bestiality.' He complains.

'I'm not getting off on it.' Erica mutters. 'It's fascinating. Some animals pair up with a female to impregnate her then the two males raise the baby while the female goes off on her own.' 

'Some werewolves do that too.' Derek says coming into the kitchen with Lilly on his hip. She's been clingy all day and Stiles hasn't had a chance to talk to Derek. He has spoken to his dad though, who told Stiles he's heard something interesting from Allison on her version of events yesterday evening and Stiles is dying to go home, but he can't because he knows right now Lilly needs him too. 

'Stiles.' Lilly says stretching her arms out. He takes her from Derek with a kiss on the lips and leans against the counter while Derek takes over making food. Sometimes he's frightened by how domestic he and Derek have become, how easily he's slipped into this role of caretaker for Lilly. Derek's a better Alpha because of her, and Stiles thinks that someday they'll have a chance to have another baby and Stiles can do this all over again. 

'Tell me a story.' Stiles says to Lilly but she shakes her head against him. 'No, no stories for Stiles.' He teases trying to steal a kiss but she ducks her head away. 

'My Stiles.' She whispers into his neck. 'Once upon a time My Stiles come to live here and we all lived happily ever after.' Lilly says. Stiles smiles at Derek when he turns to her and raises an eyebrow. 

'I believe it's my place to invite my boyfriend to move in wouldn’t you say so pumpkin?' Derek asks kissing her hair. Lilly giggles and Derek goes back to preparing the salad. 

'Ask him.' Lilly pouts moments later. Stiles laughs into her neck. 

 

'I have to talk to Stiles about that yet sweetheart and we need to discuss it with Grandpa. You wouldn't want him to be lonely would you?' Derek reasoned as he chopped tomatoes. 

 

'He can come too. Like a big pack!' Lilly suggested. Derek's eyes drifted to Stiles, and he smiled, that secret reserved smile that made Stiles's heart melt. 

 

'We'll see. Let’s get Christmas over first.'

XXX

When Stiles gets home his dads waiting for him at the kitchen table. There are various papers on the table, all in his dads own scribble, and there's one thick very official looking letter. 

'What’s going on?' Stiles asks sitting across from him. He slides the plate of leftovers Derek sent towards his dad. 

'Son I think it's time I had a talk with you.' His dad says. Stiles feels his heart trying to escape to his feet, and he swallows and nods. 'Your mother and I weren't entirely honest with you, and I haven't been since, well, anyway, when I was younger and stupider,' 

'Wait you did crazy shit. I need to record this!' Stiles interrupts. His dad gives him the stare and he slinks low in his seat. 

'Stop swearing. That's a dollar for Lilly's jar.' His dad says. Stiles scowls but nods. 

'Where was I?' 

'Stupider.' Stiles says. 

'I got into some stuff, Stiles stop looking at me like that it wasn't illegal, anyway, it's how I met your mother.' He says. 

'You met mom in the middle of the night when she was broken down in a snowstorm on the highway.' Stiles says. 

'Technically, yes, that was the first time we met, but the meeting was prearranged-'

'By who?' Stiles interrupts. His dad’s lips thin and he raises both eyebrows. 'Shutting up.' Stiles holds his hands up in a surrender gesture and sinks so low on his chair his ass is on the edge of his seat. 

'It was prearranged by a mutual friend. See there was a woman who died on the highway seventy years before in a terrible snowstorm. Every time it snowed, this woman appeared, possessed male vehicle drivers and had them leave womenfolk to die on the side of the road. She's what you call a-' 

'Vengeful spirit.' Stiles says. 

'That’s right. Her first victim was the wife of the man who left her to die.' His dad explains. 

Stiles flailed as he righted himself in his seat, banging knees off the table. 

'So you're telling me ghosts are real?' Stiles says. 

'Very real son. Anyway like we planned this woman possessed me, and I tried to leave your mother to die, but there were two cars, and in that moment of her confusion I managed to overpower her. We exorcised her right there. 

'Why are you telling me this?' Stiles asks biting his lip. 

'I think you know why.' His dad says. 

'Allison.' Stiles says remembering the look of utter confusion after she'd batted the coffee away from Lilly. 

'I've been possessed since son and I know that feeling, that look. That girl last night wasn't Allison. At least until she fought the spirit and won.' His dad says. 'What we need to know now is who wants to kill that boyfriend of yours.'

Stiles blows his cheeks out then let's the air out in a puff. 'You got three hours?' 

'Stiles,' his dads tone is deadly serious, 'I've got all night.' He sets the official letter in front of Stiles. It's addressed to the parent or guardian of Stiles Stilinski, and it’s a request for information on whether or not the sheriff thinks Stiles has what it takes to not only follow his father as an officer of the law, but a protector of humanity.

'Does this make me a werewolf hunter?' Stiles asked his eyes locking onto his dads face. 

'No, this means that any injustices done by werewolf hunters to werewolves themselves is reported and appropriately punished.' His dad says. 'Where did you think Gerard Argent got to?' 

Stiles splutters and flails, then bites his lip. 'What about a werewolf changing a human?' He asks sucking the side of his cheek into his mouth. 

'If it’s consensual and all the information has been given to the subject then yes, it's okay.' His dad licks his lips. 

Stiles nods again and looks at the application in his hand. His dad has already completed the part where he recommends Stiles receive specialist training, Stiles just has to do the rest. ‘I’ll talk to Derek about it.’

‘Of course you will, I want you too.’ His dad says.

Stiles nods and puts the application in his backpack, and heads up the stairs.

XXX

Stiles walks out of the store, pausing to eye the candy but brushing it off. He has enough energy to last him a lifetime. He steps further from temptation only to come face to face with his dad’s police cruiser.

'Hey son!' His dad calls out but Stiles is transfixed by the front seat passenger. The window rolls down and Stiles leans his arms on the door.

'Why exactly is the prisoner unrestrained and riding shotgun?' Stiles calls to his dad.

'I’m not a prisoner!' Lilly says leaning forward to give him a kiss on the cheek. Her face is soft against his. 'You don't tickle like Daddy.'

'Bah! I have a face like a baby's botty!' Stiles tells her.

'Yeah, shitty.' He hears his dad mutter. He'll get him later for that; perhaps hide the mini deserts he's conceded in return for a later curfew.

'Daddy's growing a beard.' Lilly carries on.

'Why?' Stiles asks resting his chin on the heel of his hand.

'To keep his face warm silly.' She shakes her head. 'I need clever betas in my pack.'

'A good Alpha also teaches her pack.' Stiles says quickly. The threat of being put out of a four year olds pretend pack frightens him more than he'd like to admit.

'We're looking for bad guys.' Lilly changes the subject quicker than Stiles can think sometimes.

'Really!' Stiles says. 'Had any luck?'

'No.' She sighs. Stiles is glad his dad chose the police cruiser, because if anything says behave it’s this vehicle, but he also knows Lilly well enough to know she'll be disappointed if they don't find something.

'Hey Stiles come over here a second.' His dad calls. Stiles follows him to the door of the store. 'You have to go. We're on a schedule.'

'What do you mean?' Stiles asks.

'You’ll see, if you’re at Derek’s later.' He says mysteriously, pointedly looking at the jeep like he wants Stiles to get lost. Stiles sighs, blows Lilly a kiss goodbye and gets into his jeep. Stiles had actually been planning on heading home but when he pulls out of the gas station he heads towards Derek's. Derek is working out in the basement when Stiles arrives and Stiles tries not to stare but it's no use, watching Derek's muscles is a favourite past time of his and now that they're together Stiles feels free to indulge himself.

When Derek stops Stiles is snapped out of his spell. 'Huh?' He asks.

'I didn't speak.' Derek smirks at Stiles obvious state of head melt. Stupid Derek and his stupid muscles. 'I’m going for a shower.' Derek announces. 'You can watch that if you want. Join me if you feel like it.'

'I ah...' They haven't got that far yet; their relationship has been mostly making out and rubbing against each other, the odd blowjob and hand job here and there.

'Stiles. No pressure, you don't have to ok.' Derek says. 

'I want to but I kind of feel like a girl here.' Stiles admits.

'I want all of you,' Derek says stepping close to Stiles 'but I'll take what you want to give me.'

‘Thank you.’ Stiles says pressing a kiss to Derek’s lips. ‘We need to talk too, about something.’

‘Sounds serious.’ Derek says tilting his head to the side and looking at Stiles.

‘I’ll ah…’ Stiles shuffles his feet and rubs the back of his neck, biting his lip, ‘can I shower with you?’

Derek’s smirk is predatory as he crowds Stiles upstairs into the master bedroom and adjoining bathroom.

XXX

They’re sitting at the kitchen table, papers spread around them about the Supernatural Police Department, or SPD as Stiles has taken to calling them. It’s not a permanent job or anything, it’s a case of if you’re in the area and the department needs you then you have to step forward and do your duty. There is an element of training, and that will start after Christmas with theory packs, but it takes second place to schoolwork. There’s physical training too, but that’s done during the summer.

‘My dad was in this.’ Derek says leaning back in his seat. ‘I think there may have been some books in storage. There were a lot of us kids, and he had to make room for us.’

Stiles just waits for Derek to finish his memories. He wants to ask more, he’s dying to, but Derek hasn’t given him permission yet. He has a feeling that someday he will be, he’ll know everything there is to know about Derek.

‘And then there’s college. I don’t want that to hamper your education, or your life.’ Derek adds flicking through the pages. ‘It’s a big decision for you, and it’s yours. I’ll support whatever you choose to do. If you want me to help you with fighting or self-defence, then I’ll do it, it’s up to you baby.’ Derek says. Stiles nods and leans against his shoulder, that just thirty minutes ago he had a bruising hold on when Derek went down on him in the shower.

There’s an alarm outside, a police siren and they’re halfway outside when Stiles remembers who’s watching Lilly for the day. A very delighted looking Lilly is sitting in the front seat, with a stern looking Sheriff beside her. In the backseat Scott and Isaac are sitting with heads down, trying and failing to keep the smirks off their faces.

‘What the hell’s going on here?’ Derek asks because he hasn’t caught onto his dad’s game.

‘I’m very disappointed Derek. I found these two loitering, and my new deputy told me I should arrest them.’ The Sheriff says getting out of his side of the car.

Derek’s mouth works he looks from the smirking Sheriff to the two shame faced betas in the back seat, and Stiles sees the exact moment the pieces fall into place in Derek’s mind.

‘Idiots, what were they doing Sheriff?’ Derek raises his chin. Lilly’s halfway out the window, watching with delight as Derek hauls them out of the backseat by the ear.

‘Trouble, these two. I had young Lilly here read them their rights.’ The Sheriff says. Stiles bursts out laughing at the thought of Lilly telling the boys her version of their rights.

‘And how did your new deputy get on?’ Derek asks with a grin.

‘Fantastic, two arrests on her first day, she’s a natural.’ The Sheriff says. His chest is puffed out and his voice is full of pride and Stiles has never loved his father more than he does right now because his dad not only supports Stiles becoming a step dad at seventeen, but he’s falling perfectly into his role of Grandpa.

‘I think Sheriff Stilinski and Deputy Hale should join us for dinner what do you say Stiles?’ Derek asks as he lifts Lilly out through the cruiser window. Lilly squeals and kicks her legs, wrapping her arms around Derek’s neck and scenting him after being apart for so long.

‘You smell like my Stiles.’ She says and Stiles rolls his eyes at this amazing little girl giving his afternoon activities away.

‘How about we order pizza?’ Stiles suggests trying to distract everyone else from Derek and Lilly.

‘And My Stiles smells like you.’ She finishes as she passes Stiles leaning over to kiss his cheek. Stiles snags her from Derek’s arms and takes off at a run into the forest with Lilly in his arms squealing. ‘Daddy save me!’ She cries and Stiles lengthens his pace just a little when Derek starts after them, catching them and rolling so he’s below them both, taking their weight.

‘Mine!’ Derek snarls playfully wrapping his arms around Lilly and jumping up to run.

‘Stiles!’ She cries and Stiles can’t help the laughter that erupts as he chases them through the trees.


	11. Chapter 11

When Allison hadn't turned up in school for a week Stiles bit the bullet and decided to visit her. He was nervous, as he put his jeep into park and slid out the door. The house was dark and foreboding and Stiles remembered when his own house was like that after his mother’s death. He knocked the door and waited, rolling on the balls of his feet. Chris opened it, and he looked tired, with bags underneath his eyes, and days’ worth of stubble on his face. 

'Now's not a good time.' Chris said eyes darting around the building before landing back on Stiles.

'When is a good time?' Stiles probed. Chris looked like he was about to tell Stiles to leave but then he opened the door wider. Stiles nodded and stepped into the hallway, waiting to be instructed on what to do. 'Would you like a drink?'

'No thank you. Where's Allison?' Stiles asked. 

Chris snorted and shook his head like it was a question he wanted the answer to himself. 'Honestly, I don’t know.' 

There was a loud screech from upstairs and a series of thumps then everything went silent. 

'I've tried every spell I know, I even tried to throw holy water on her, and she just laughed in my face.' Chris said leaning heavily against the wall. 'I'm afraid I'll have to...'

'No, don't.' Stiles said placing a hand on Chris's shoulder. 'I can help.'

Chris laughed at that one. 'You're a boy, how can you help?'

'She tried to kill Derek last week.' Stiles explained. Chris raised an eyebrow, but Stiles carried on. 'She poisoned his coffee, but Lilly wanted to taste it, and Derek's indulgent. Somehow, whatever's possessing Allison, she beat them, and she stopped Lilly from drinking it.'

'Who?' Chris said.

'What?' Stiles asked suddenly confused.

'You said whatever's possessing her, it's not a what but a whom.' Chris explained. 

'Do you know who it is?' Stiles probed. 

'It's a member of our family, my wife, my sister, my grandmother, I don't know, someone, a female someone, is possessing Allison and if I don't save her soon I'm afraid Allison's going to give up.' Chris said looking at the staircase as if the answer would suddenly dance across his face.

'I can help.' Stiles said with a nod. 'Allison's strong, we can do it together.' 

'How?' Chris asked raising a sceptical eyebrow. 

'I just can.' Stiles said. There was a noise on the staircase and Allison appeared. She looked wrecked, dark bags underneath her eyes, hair a mess, the jumper she was wearing was pulled like she'd been struggling in herself. 

She froze when she saw Stiles and chewed on her lip. 'Come downstairs.' Chris said softly. Allison obeyed him easily and he breathed a sigh out. Stiles quirked an eyebrow at him. 'When she does as she's told she's not possessed.'

'Hey.' Stiles said when she reached the bottom. She was barefoot; her feet pressed together, her arms wrapped around her body. Stiles didn't hesitate as he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. It was what she needed, apparently, because Allison untangled herself and wrapped her arms around him, sobbing onto his shoulder.

She tried to talk, tried to tell him something but Stiles couldn't understand her broken words. He stood quietly for the longest time rubbing her back and talking in quiet tones to calm her down. It reminded him of soothing Lilly after a nightmare, and his heart ached for her. 

Eventually she calmed down and Stiles led her by the hand into the living room. Chris set her up with a blanket and a bottle of water while Stiles sat as close as she wanted. 'I'm going to call my dad.' 

'What does your dad know?' Chris asked with a snort hovering uncomfortably in his own doorway. 

'More than I do apparently.' Stiles said making the call. While they waited Allison bit her lip and clutched the water bottle like it was a lifeline. 

'How's everyone?' She asked. Stiles ran a hand up her ankle in a gesture of comfort. 

'They're fine, a little confused. I haven't shared my theories yet.' Stiles said waving his arm around. He knew Allison would understand him. 

'Do they all hate me?' She asked biting her lip and curling in on herself. 

'They don't understand your motives. Lilly doesn't really understand what happened, and you almost killed Derek's baby, but don't worry I'll talk to them, I promise.' Stiles said rubbing comforting circles into her skin. 

Allison nodded and Stiles could tell the moment something in her changed. For a split second frantic eyes met Stiles's before a slow smirk spread over her face. 'It's the Alpha's little whore.'

'Pleased to make your acquaintance and you are?' Stiles asked holding a hand out to shake. Allison bared her teeth and Stiles reminded himself that this wasn't Allison; this was a monster possessing her, evil that didn't die. 

'Oh baby, if you only knew. He's good isn't he, the Alpha, he fucks like a soldier home on leave I'm telling you.' Allison raised an eyebrow. Stiles raised his chin back at her. 

'Kate?' Stiles asked. Allison bobbed her head. 

'At your service. I'm disappointed in this one, I have to say, thought I taught her better than to let two werewolves fuck her.' Kate snarled. 'I'll fix that for her, so don't worry, I'll make sure they suffer for what they put her through. Pretending to love her, they wouldn’t know what love is.' 

Stiles nodded as Chris stepped into the room followed by Stiles's father. 'Hey Chris, do you know what your baby girl’s been up to, filthy little slut, sucking werewolf cock!'

'That's enough Kate!' Chris said sternly. Allison, or Kate, merely laughed. 

'And here's the wifeless sheriff here to what, arrest the ghost? Fuck you very much sheriff. You know what, I would. I bet you're a kinky bastard, like it rough do you?' She cackled. John Stilinski ignored her, easily unpacking a bag onto the coffee table. Chris watched him quietly while Stiles took the opportunity to slip from the couch and move to a third point, effectively trapping Kate in a triangle. 

'Okay, I'm ready.' Sheriff said looking up at Chris who nodded. 'Chris, I want you to know, that's not your sister in there, that's a little vengeful part of her trapped inside your daughter, and its weak, although this is the result of a year’s leeching off of Allison. We'll sort this out.'

Chris nodded and Allison's eyes were wide looking between the two men before focusing on Stiles. 'You little bitch.' She hissed standing but a nod from the Sheriff had her falling back onto her butt. 

'What? No, no, get the fuck away from me!' Kate snarled from Allison's body as John mixed a few herbs together and started to chant an incantation. 

Stiles tried to listen to his father, to pay attention, but the screaming coming from Allison overshadowed everything else in the room. 

XXX

Stiles didn't see the pack for another two days. He was holed up in the house, helping Chris take care of Allison. She was weak, and depressed, and she was in need of a friend. Stiles refused to abandon her, much to Chris's admiration. Stiles slept in the room across from Allison, but he spent more time on top of her duvet, his arms wrapped around her as she recovered from her trauma. 'There were things she made me do.' Allison whispered. 'She made me punish myself.'

'Hush,' Stiles said running his fingers through her hair and pressing a kiss to her temple, 'it's over now.'

'I've lost all my friends, I've...' Allison drifted off quietly into herself. Stiles barely noticed anyone at the window until he spied Derek's stoney face looking inside. 

'Allison, you rest here for a second okay.' Stiles said glaring at Derek. 'I'm going down to the kitchen for some water.'

'Okay.' She said. Derek had already disappeared. 

Stiles pulled open the back door of the house as Derek stepped inside. 'What the hell Derek!' Stiles snarled pushing at his chest. It was like shoving a mountain, nothing moved, but Derek understood the gesture. 

'What the hell's going on here?' Derek snapped back glaring around. 

'Allison needed a friend.' Stiles hissed. 'She was possessed. By a vengeful spirit. I help her get rid of it and now I'm being that friend.'

Derek's eyes widened slightly and he relaxed. 'What happened?' He asked softly, concern overtaking whatever emotion he'd been feeling before. 

'Kate Argent.' Stiles whispered. Derek's eyes latched onto Stiles, widened slightly. 

'Kate possessed her?' Derek asked.

'She's gone now.' Stiles said chewing on his bottom lip. 

'And how's Allison?' Derek reached forward, hooking a finger into the pocket of Stiles's hoodie. Stiles went with it until he was wrapped in Derek's arms. 

'Frightened, upset, hurt.' Stiles said letting himself relax and melt into Derek. He hadn't realised how much he needed Derek until he was here, holding him up, and burying his face in Stiles's neck. Stiles took a deep breath, closed his eyes and imagined the pack surrounding him.

'Can I see her?' Derek asked eventually.

'Are you sure that's wise?' Stiles wondered. His face was pressed against the cool leather of Derek's jacket, the collar biting into his cheek. Stiles didn't care, he needed this more than he realised.

'I'm her Alpha, if nothing else I'm her friend.' Derek said. 

'You can see her.' A voice from the darkness said. Stiles startled but Derek didn't, of course he knew Chris was there. 

'Thank you.' Derek said unwrapping himself from Stiles. Stiles took him by the hand and led him upstairs, pausing inside Allison's room. She was curled on her side with her face tucked into her chest. 

'Hey Allison, someone wants to see you.' Stiles said. She looked up and startled back when she spied Derek. 

'I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it, and it wasn't me Derek-' she pushed herself up.

Derek dropped Stiles hand and walked forward, then knelt on the bed, gathering her into his arms and pulling her against his chest. Allison went softly, easily, her confused eyes finding Stiles over Derek's shoulder. 'Thank you Allison, for saving my daughter’s life. It wouldn't be easy, fighting for control, but you did it for my baby.' Derek said. Allison relaxed against him and wrapped her arms around him. Chris sucked in a breath at the door as Derek relaxed onto the bed taking Allison with him. Stiles followed, curling around Allison's back. Derek's hand found his head and together they lay like that, with Chris sitting on the edge of the mattress rubbing Allison's ankle until she fell asleep. 

XXX

Derek was still cradling Allison against him when Stiles woke up. 'Did you sleep okay?' Derek asked him as Stiles yawned. 

'No. Did you sleep?' Stiles asked leaning over Allison to check on her. She looked small like this, and vulnerable. Stiles felt protective urges well in him, and he wondered if it was a result of caring for Lilly or just his nature. 

'No, I stayed awake to protect my pack.' Derek's voice was rough from a lack of use. Stiles smiled at him, licking his dry lips. 

'I need a piss and a drink.' Stiles said standing and stretching again listening as all his bones popped. His movements woke Allison. For a second she was wide eyed but Derek's fingers in her hair relaxed her and she leaned into him.

'If you try to say sorry again I'll have you organise Erica's make up drawer.' Derek threatened with a curl of his lips.

Stiles snorted. 'Your threats are getting poor in your old age.' He teased. Derek shot him a quick smile then looked down to Allison. 

'Lilly?' Allison asked.

'Lilly will be fine with you. Spend some time with her and she'll come around. She didn't understand what was happening so she'll be more confused by your absence than anything else.' Derek explained. Allison nodded again. 

'And the rest of the pack?' She whispered.

'You leave them to me.' Derek said. He didn't look like he intended to move anytime soon. Stiles rolled his eyes and made his way out of the room and downstairs. 

He found Chris in the kitchen gazing into the back garden. Chris looked at Stiles then at the ceiling. ‘It’s strange, not having them here. I grew up surrounded by family and now it’s just us in this big house.’

‘It is a big place.’ Stiles shrugged. Derek’s home was large too; large enough to have the whole pack comfortably living there if that’s what they wanted. ‘Why don’t you join us for Christmas?’

‘A hunter, join a werewolf?’ Chris said softly. ‘There’s a lot of bad blood Stiles.’

‘There’s a lot of good blood too. I have this theory, that hunters like you and Allison are necessary, that people like you are needed to protect the werewolves and their reputation from those that aren’t like Derek and his pack.’ Stiles said. Chris frowned and leaned back against the counter.

‘You have this all worked out don’t you.’ Chris said.

Stiles nodded. ‘I love Derek, and I love his daughter. I see myself, hopefully one day, as another parent for Lilly, as a partner for Derek, and I want to protect those that I love, that has to start somewhere right?’

‘Stiles you have one of the oldest souls I have ever met.’ Chris said shaking his head.

Stiles just smiled and poured himself a glass of water. ‘So we’ll see you at Christmas then?’

Chris didn’t answer but he didn’t decline the offer.

XXX

Stiles could see that Allison was nervous as she knelt by the coffee table, her hands playing with the protective pendant she’d taken to wearing lately, but Lilly patted her hand and handed her a crayon with a smile. Allison smiled back and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she helped Lilly to shade the picture. Stiles was on Lilly's other side, kneeling as he tried to work on their Christmas menu. Almost everyone wanted something different with the meal, and Stiles was starting to feel the pressure. He was glad he had decided on getting help from the pack, hopefully they would have a ball on the day. 

‘I’d like to help; you know to show my appreciation.’ Allison said as she shaded the penguin’s hat orange under Lilly’s supervision.

‘That sounds good.’ Derek said. ‘I’m sure you and Stiles will have the kitchen humming with your talents.’

Stiles shot his boyfriend a grin and Derek grinned back. Derek looked good, and Stiles realised it had been too long since he’d got more than a peck of Derek’s lips. He longed for some alone time with Derek, but he didn’t see that happening any time soon. Hopefully Isaac could babysit sometime and they could sneak away. He wondered if his dad would keep Lilly overnight on the excuse of Derek and Stiles doing some Christmas shopping.

Shopping for gifts for Lilly would be both fun and frustrating, but Derek decided Stiles should accompany him. He had already scouted out what Lilly wanted, and Stiles was looking forward to playing Santa Claus with Derek. He was busy hunting through a website full of decorations when the front door opened and Isaac came in. He faltered for a second when he spotted Allison, but his smile was when Lilly ran to greet him and he carried her back to the couch to join them. Derek was watching from the armchair, a content look on his face when Isaac nudged Allison with his foot. 

'Hey.' He said with a smile. 

'Hi.' Allison said ducking behind her hair. Lilly ran her fingers along the strand. 

'My Daddy plaits my hair when it gets in my way.' Lilly explained to her. 'Would you like me to plait your hair?'

Allison wrapped an arm around Lilly's legs and smiled up at her. 'That would be very sweet of you.'

Stiles couldn't keep the grin off his face as Allison settled back against the couch and Lilly settled herself to try and plait Allison's hair. He knew that Derek would eventually be drafted in to help but for now he was happy to watch his pack bond together.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Christmas chapter from Lilly's pov. Enjoy.

Lilly pressed her fist to her mouth and closed her eyes tight, trying and willing sleep to come but her wolf was too excited, making her belly twist and churn because the excitement of Santa Claus sneaking through a house full of werewolf's was too much for her to bear. Santa must be amazing, she thought, to be able to get past her daddy. Lilly sighed, her Daddy was the best Daddy in the world, Lilly knew because he loved her so, he always told her. He was even going to marry her Stiles because if Lilly couldn't have her Daddy, that's who she wanted as a parent, Stiles. 

 

Lilly scrunched her toes up and balled her fists. At her age, her little claws were too short to reach the soft flesh of her hands and feet, her fangs were strong though and Lilly was so proud of them. She willed the butterflies out of her tummy but they wouldn't go, they got stronger. Frustrated she growled and got an answering growl from her daddy. It wasn't a scolding, he was checking she was okay, and she returned with a whine, letting him feel her frustration. 

 

The door opened and daddy walked towards the bed, sitting down and stroking her back. 'When you were just a tiny cub and couldn't sleep I used to carry you around and rub your back.' Daddy said. Lilly pouted up at him. Daddy was her Alpha, no matter how many games they played, and Lilly knew an Alpha took care of their pack. 

 

'I’m too big.' Lilly sighed. Being a big girl was such hard work sometimes. 

 

'My baby's never too big.' Daddy said softly, his stubble tickling her neck as he scented her. He lifted her into his arms, and his hand went to the middle of her back while his other arm curled around her legs. He was wearing a soft black t-shirt that her Stiles had brought over and it smelled like both of them, a perfect blend of love. Lilly buried her face in his shoulder and wrapped her legs around him. Daddy rubbed her back as he walked into the hallway and she could hear everyone's heartbeat as they relaxed into bed waiting for Santa Claus to come. Daddy paced past each room, letting her hear the sounds of the pack as they relaxed together, and it lulled her into a soft doze.

 

It was a little while later that Lilly felt like yawning when Daddy carried her to his bedroom. Her Stiles was lying in the dim room watching them, his eyes locked on her. Daddy carried her to the bed and lay down letting her curl into them both. Stiles curled a hand around her and let his fingers caress her spine and his thumb tickle her neck. Lilly let the yawn out and wondered what time Santa would get there when...

 

Someone was in her room. He smelled like cinnamon, like candy and warm, strong like Daddy. He was Alpha, but human. There was something calming about him. He had a big round belly, he was wearing red and white, he had black boots, and a big beard. He held his finger up to his lips and Lilly grinned at him. He set three parcels on her floor, and then sat on the edge of her bed. 

 

'What would you like for Christmas?' He asked. 

 

'Can ask for next year?' Lilly whispered quietly. Santa nodded his head as if he already knew what she wanted, perhaps he did. 'I want a baby brother.'

 

Santa chuffed, rubbing her head. 'I think you might need to discuss that with Daddy and Stiles, what do you think sweetheart.' He said. Lilly pouted. 'I'll tell you a secret.' Santa winked and Lilly waited eagerly. 'You won't have a baby brother next year, but the year after that looks promising.' 

 

'Will my Daddy and my Stiles be there too?' She bit her lip. 

 

'Of course, but that's a secret for another time.' Santa said. 'I have to go, I still have a lot to do, and I only have a few hours to get to Hawaii.' 

 

Lilly nodded and blew him a kiss, snuggling back into her winter duvet and wondering how she got back into her own bed from Daddy’s. She fell asleep as sleigh bells rang out from the roof. 

 

XXX

 

Lilly woke and yawned, and she remembered it was Christmas. Lilly paused and listened but everyone was asleep. Lilly didn't care; she slid out of bed and opened the door, making her way to Daddy's room. The door was closed and Lilly opened it carefully. She walked towards the bed. Daddy was on his back snoring and her Stiles was half on top of him. Lilly crawled onto the bed and bounced on top of them. 

 

'It’s Christmas!' She cried as loud as she could. Stiles woke and Daddy just managed to save her from Stiles knocking them both to the floor. That would have been fun. 

 

'Six twenty two.' Stiles muttered sticking his head up from the floor. 

 

'Santa Claus was in my room last night.' Lilly said. 

 

Stiles cocked his head and Daddy's eyes went wide. 'You’re not lying.' 

 

'Course I'm not. He left gifts.' Lilly said. In a flash Daddy had handed her to Stiles and was out the door. 'He smelled like candy.' Lilly said. Stiles nodded at her, and gaped when a shocked looking Daddy came back into the room. 

 

'I have no idea.' Derek shrugged helplessly, the gifts in his hands. 

 

XXX

 

On Stiles's instruction Lilly woke everyone in similar fashions, although she conceded to her grandpa’s request and snuggled into his arms for a cuddle. 

 

'You make me very happy Lilly.' He said kissing her head. Lilly frowned up at him, not understanding why he sounded so sad but cuddled him tighter. 

 

They all went downstairs, where lots of gifts for everyone waited. Lilly wanted to open them right away but Daddy made her eat first. And then in her Stiles words, chaos erupted. 

 

While everyone was opening their presents Daddy arched his neck in the air and sniffed, his tongue slipping out of his mouth to taste the air. ‘It’s snowing.’ He announced, a big smile on his face. Lilly grabbed her new snow boots and the coat Lydia had got her and insisted Allison help her choose an outfit because they all needed to outside an play for a little while.

 

‘I want to make a snow werewolf.’ Lilly announced once they were outside, so they set to work. Everybody rolled the body and the head and Stiles and Scott disappeared looking for buttons, eyes nose and a hat. ‘Don’t forget fangs!’ Lilly called after them. Daddy grabbed her and threw her high into the air. Lilly squealed in delight when he caught her again.

 

‘You’re a bossy little woman aren’t you.’ Daddy said sounding happier than he’d ever been.

 

‘I’m a princess.’ Lilly said biting her lip. Daddy kissed her on the cheek and hugged her.

 

‘Your aunty Laura would be so proud of you right now.’ Daddy said and Lilly rested her head on Daddy’s shoulder, kissing his cheek.

 

'Let's make snow angels to say Hi to her.' Lilly suggested happily. Daddy hugged her harder then joined her on the ground, making angels in the snow.

 

XXX

 

Like the rest of the pack, Lilly helped make dinner. There were lots of people, and her job was to count everyone. No one was allowed to move while she completed her task, but they all did, chopping around and trying to tease her until her Grandpa warned anyone that moved again would be arrested. He wasn't lying, and that made Lilly giggle. So she counted sixteen people, including herself. Job done, she was free to play. She hung around Allison, convincing her to help her with her hair, and then Jackson had to read her storybooks with her. Just the titles, she would read with him later. 

 

Mr Argent and Grandpa talked about boring things but they both joined her with the train set she got while Erica helped dress her new dolls. 

 

Then they all sat down to dinner. They pulled crackers and laughed at jokes Lilly didn't understand, played grown up games where they had to guess things she didn't know, but her Daddy, her Stiles, Grandpa and even Allison helped her, whispering the answers. It was loud and there was lots of singing and laughing. Lilly made sure to cuddle everyone, even the stern Mr Argent, who told her she was precious and made a promise to her Daddy that he’d protect her at all costs. Lilly didn’t understand what he meant but Daddy’s gratitude soaked into her and she hugged Mr Argent that little bit harder.

 

After dinner Lilly and Stiles played on the floor by Grandpa’s seat while he snored, and Daddy joined them, laughing and joking quietly as almost everyone slept. They played a game of Pictionary and Allison and Isaac joined them when they finally finished washing dishes and tidying the big kitchen. After a while Daddy put his arm around Stiles and Lilly crawled onto their laps. 'Daddy?' She whispered. 

 

'Yeah?' Daddy answered tucking a curl behind her ear, his thump grazing over her cheek.

 

'Is this our family?' Lilly asked. Everyone seemed to still, even Grandpa who had just woken up and smacked his lips together, but Daddy smiled his best one and reached a hand out to mess her curls. 

 

'Yeah baby girl, this our family.' Daddy smiled. Lilly snuggled closer with Geezer and soon fell into a deep sleep.


End file.
